Tension as BMD goes to Lobatse

EPHRAIM KEORENG
Staff Writer | Friday August 13, 2010 00:00

 

In an interview with Mmegi yesterday, BMD interim vice-chairman Botsalo Ntuane said the BMD considers the BNF a partner in opposition. He dismissed talk that there is likely to be a violent encounter, especially that some BNF members in the constituency are said to be bitter at Modubule's decision to join the BMD. A former BNF Member of Parliament (MP), Modubule at some stage tried to rejoin but later gave up, saying the party was unwilling to accept him back.

'Instead of looking at my issue, they are busy with the likes of [Duma] Boko,' he said referring to a court case in which some BNF members took the party to court over Boko's membership and consequent qualification to stand for the BNF presidency. He said this a day before he joined the BMD.

Responding to Mmegi questions on possibilities of violence flaring up at the weekend rally, BNF secretary general Akanyang Magama said he was well aware that some BNF members in Lobatse were bitter that Modubule had not re-joined their party. 'Depending on how BMD people and our people behave towards each other, there will be no violence,' he said. Magma said though they were opposition cooperation partners, it did not mean they could not grow their parties.

'But this can be done without attacking each other. We also hope Modubule's party will not attack the BNF there, otherwise we can't stop what might happen,' he said.

When asked if his party will be participating at the rally, the BNF leader said officially they were not aware of any official invitation to the BMD rally. 'I just saw an advert in a newspaper saying they have invited us.

But I was at the office, I never saw an invitation,' he said adding that the BNF central committee will be engaged over the weekend at its first meeting since it was elected at the Mochudi congress last month.