Parallel delegates for BMD factions
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Wednesday June 21, 2017 17:56
Already, some members are complaining that other members of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) want to submit names of people they want to be delegates. The branches, cells and regions have to hold own congresses to choose delegates ahead of the Bobonong congress.
“The problem is that the NEC wants to bring their own divisions to constituencies. In Kweneng region, we have refused that. The constitution has to be followed. This week, our cell committees have been having their own congresses and on Thursday we will be holding the branch congress in Molepolole South,” Kweneng chairperson, Boipuso Dikgang said.
He said in their region, they will ensure that all delegates are from the Kweneng region and Kweneng constituencies. Dikgang said the NEC members wanted to be the ones overseeing the elections when in fact it is the duty of the region.
The chairperson of the South East region, Mabuo Motsamai said delegates from Ramotswa and Mochudi West were chosen without the branch congress. “Surprisingly, at Ramotswa the party members were not aware of the said congress.
When some members of the region arrived at that meeting, they found delegates who were said to have been chosen come from one ward, Otse.
The members had to block that same thing at Mochudi East constituency. That’s how the fight began. An NEC member did not want the branch chairperson or the region to give a report. But members stood up to defend their party,” Motsamai said.
He said some NEC members want to submit written names of delegates to them while they have members from the constituencies. “We do not want ghost members. People who want to be delegates should be known party members.”
Political analyst, Anthony Morima said the recent fights at the regional level have shown that the two factions within the BMD, one for Nehemiah Modubule/Gilbert Mangole and Ndaba Gaolathe/Wynter Mmolotsi will not work together.
“These fights are even making some people to lose trust in the opposition parties. It is also tarnishing the name of the Umbrella for Democratic Change. The earlier they split the better. The infightings by some NEC members are now personal,” Morima added.