Councillors plan to topple defecting assistant chairman

ONALENNA MODIKWA
Staff Writer | Thursday August 26, 2010 00:00

The plot is to be set in motion at the next session of the council on September 6. Unconfirmed reports say a nominated councillor from Shoshong has also defected to the BMD.

The secretary of the Shoshong-Mahalapye (SHOMA) Region of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), Boniface Kenosi, has confirmed that Magowe has tendered a letter of resignation to the BDP and that plans are being hatched to ditch him. Kenosi said dismissively: 'Infact, it is a blessing in disguise in that the electorate have started actively working for the party. We are told he is going to be a BMD parliamentary candidate.

'We are currently working on a motion (of no confidence). We cannot entertain retaining a person in that position when we no longer have confidence in him.'

For his part, Magowe says he is a full member of the BMD who left the BDP because that party cannot put its house in order. On plans to topple him from the position of assistant chairman, Magowe says he is a member of the council in order to represent people and not to seek positions.

'I am ready for any decision the councillors may take,' he says.

'It was the same councillors who elected me to the position; if they choose to drop me on the basis of party affiliation, well and good.'

He is the councillor for Dovedale/Mmaphashalala Ward in the Mahalapye East Constituency.

Meanwhile, the council chairman, Moatshe Senai, says he has yet to receive an official notification from Magowe about his defection. However, Senai says a motion of no confidence is normally used when the target is failing to deliver.

'There is no standing order regarding a motion of no confidence in the event of a councillor defecting to another political party,' he says.

He still works well with Magowe inspite of his purported defection: 'I have even assigned him to join the minister during her meetings on my behalf,' he says.

'I will be going on a retreat to Orapa next week, and Magowe will conduct the official opening of an occasion in Otse.'