Fists Fly at BDP Indaba
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Monday June 19, 2017 18:00
Vice president Masisi and Molefhi, the Minister of Infrastructure and Housing Development are vying for the party chairpersonship.
Their fate will be decided by voters next month at a potentially explosive BDP elective congress in Tonota.
Fists apparently flew during the election of congress delegates for Moselewapula ward in Gaborone Bonnington North last Wednesday.
A fight allegedly erupted after several known Masisi supporters were turned down in their attempts to vote, as they were not registered in the ward.
“The Masisi supporters were bringing voters from different wards who are not registered at Moselewapula ward.
When the ward committee turned down those ferried from other wards, the ward chairperson, John Siele got angry and assaulted committee members, Modiehi Macheng and Carol Sibanda,” a source said.
According to a source, the misunderstanding erupted when other committee members said the chairperson is bringing people from different cells to vote in the area. It is alleged that the chairperson said other party members have intention to ensure that Masisi lost at the party congress in Tonota.
The BDP branch chairperson, John Mokandla confirmed as true that “some of our members fought at ward congress that was held on Wednesday for Moselewapula”. He declined to share details with The Monitor saying, “because the issue is before the police and we have to write a full report to the party office as branch committee. We are disappointed with what happened”.
The regional chairperson, MacDonald Peloetetse also confirmed the brawl.
“We are still investigating the incident. Moselewapula ward was on Wednesday voting for delegates, which would vote at Tonota congress for party central committee. The region was not directly involved, the branches and ward committees help to ensure that delegates are voted fairly and members who are voted should be from that ward or cell,” Peloetetse said.
He said they are waiting for a full report to what could have transpired on that day. Efforts to get a comment from the police were unsuccessful as the station commander for Gaborone West police was said to be in a meeting at the time of writing this story.