Pilane BMD unwavering in party affairs
Tumelo Mouwane | Thursday August 10, 2017 17:15
In Lobatse the Pilane faction has invited the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) to a branch ward allocation meeting scheduled for today (Thursday) at 5:30pm.
The negotiations, which are part of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) 2019 elections preparations, are scheduled to take place at Boithaopo VDC School in Tsopeng South ward. Both factions have written letters to their respective branch secretaries on the matter.
The supporters on the ground also hold different views. Whilst Ndaba Gaolathe’s sympathisers argue that the negotiations should be halted pending intervention of the UDC, the Pilane faction are of the view that it will be a waste of time as they are the legitimate committee that has the final say on the affairs of the movement.
Mmegi is in possession of letter addressed to the Pilane faction branch secretary, Kago Malele, under the subject ‘Ward allocation meeting’, indicating that the negotiations will proceed today. “This communique serves as a request to the BCP to send five members of branch committee or delegates to represent BCP at a ward allocation meeting this coming Thursday at 5:30pm at Boithaopo VDC school in Tsopeng South ward,” reads part of the letter authored on August 6.
In another letter addressed to Gaolathe’s faction branch secretary, Mmolawa Thebe on August 7, titled ‘Suspension of ward allocation negotiation meeting’, the Pilane faction urged the other committee to halt the negotiations pending UDC’s intervention.
Part of the letter reads; “The Lobatse office wishes to draw to your office that it is still engulfed in internal fights as your office might have been informed by the media or other means. We wish to plead with your office to continue suspending the ward allocation negotiations pending the outcome of intervention we have since sought from the UDC to help restore the standoff.
“Once the matter has been resolved, we will inform your office for resumption of the negotiations.”
A close source within the branch said despite the standoff between the two factions, they do not expect violence during the negotiations unlike what transpired in Bobonong. The source admitted that the differences between the faction branch leaders are serious.
“The differences between the two factions branch leaders are serious. You might remember that the meeting, which was organised by Gaolathe’s faction ended up in violence last time in Lobatse, but I am not saying they were behind the violence. What is likely to happen is that the Pilane faction will press ahead with the negotiations and Gaolathe’s faction will refrain, hence we don’t foresee violence,” he said.