BCP cllr declines BDP's P500,000 bribery?

RYDER GABATHUSE
Staff Writer | Thursday August 26, 2010 00:00

Addressing a press conference at the BCP regional office in Francistown yesterday, Lemogang revealed how former BDP councillor in the Sebina South, Calvin Mooketsi Mafunge was used to call him to a BDP clandestine meeting.

Lemogang says although it was not his first time to be called by Mafunge, who is an active BDP member, he obliged so he could hear what he was wanted for.

'The purpose of the meeting, I was told, was to prepare for an evening meeting scheduled for 8 pm at which I was set to meet BDP candidate for Tonota North, Fidelis Molao and Assistant Minister, Kentse Rammidi,' said Lemogang.

Lemogang said that it was at this meeting that he demanded to know his reward in case he agreed to destabilise the BCP in the run-up to the September 4 by-election.

'If it all went well, I was supposed to have left the BCP by last Friday with my pockets probably lined with P500, 000,' he told the press conference. Unfortunately, for Lemogang, he did not ask where the money would be coming from. But he was given a chance to think about the offer.

'I decided to turn this lucrative offer down in favour of principle. When they expected to meet me at Mafunge's place, I decided not to honour the appointment and could not take calls on my phone on that day,' he further explained.

The BCP man says he was informed that if he crossed the floor, President Ian Khama would travel to Sebina on September 3, the day before the by-election, and he would be duly launched at a huge ceremony.

'I told the BDP delegation that I was not desperate to the extent that I could be easily bought just like that. It was my position that I do not have problems where I am and I have been elected to the council by the people and not bought through BDP slush funds.'

Sensing that Lemogang was not taking calls on his mobile phone, the BCP councillor says Molao then sent him a short message (SMS) in Sekalaka: '... Mdala, ti mo Sebina...(Friend, we are in Sebina'). Lemogang ignored the message and this time he decided to contact his comrades and briefed them on the BDP manoeuvre.

'My conscience told me, I owe everything to the people who elected me when it mattered the most during the 2009 general elections. I told myself I was not going to accept the bribe and sell the people who empowered me,' he said.

He says before the BDP delegation met him, one Meshack Sebopelo tipped him that the ruling party operatives were targeting him.

'I was literally being told that if I defected to the BDP, it would not be easy for the BCP to win the by-election. So, in a way, they wanted to use me as their pawn on the political chess board.'

Speaking at the same press briefing, BCP national organising secretary Vain Mamela indicated that probably, the money promised Lemogang is part of the alleged P14 million on the BDP agenda.

'It seems the BDP is worried by the BCP, to the extent that they are plotting to destabilise us,' he charged. He said one of their strategies is to inform their campaign teams to spread the message that 'it's not enough to be bought by a packet of tobacco, mealie-meal and others'.

For her part, BCP's parliamentary hopeful in Tonota North, Dr Habaudi Hobona said: 'When things of this nature happen, this is where one can say the elections are not fair. Obviously, the well-heeled will survive because they will continue doling out money and other gifts to cripple the campaigns of others.'

Another BCP member of the central committee, Morgan Moseki, described the purported BDP tactics as 'distasteful, shameful and I request all patriotic forces to stand against this mess which is tainting our democracy.' He asked the BDP leadership to back off.

'We know who is next. The BDP is acting like a conman,' he said.

Speaking in an interview later Molao, who admitted to having met Lemogang as part of the party's recruitment campaign, denied the bribery claims.

'There has never been an issue of bribery, but those who had been close to him (Lemogang) during his BDP days have always wanted him back home,' explained Molao.

He describes Lemogang as his former secondary schoolmate and branch chairman with whom he is generally on talking terms.

'What I can confirm is that some party elders have been meeting Lemogang with a view to persuading him to return to the BDP as his defection to the BCP was merely a fallout of the Bulela Ditswe primaries.'

Molao adds that Lemogang has always shown willingness to return to the BDP, 'but at no stage did we mention money as an inducement'.

Molao also admits he had sent an sms message to Lemogang 'because I wanted to meet him as instructed by some regional party elders'.

Even Rammidi agreed to talk to Lemogang as part of the party's recruitment drive. He vehemently denies ever promising to buy Lemogang so he could defect.

'We were talking to Lemogang trying to recruit him as we would to any politician. He indicated that he would consider our proposal. However, in the middle of our talks, he (Lemogang) solicited for funds to the tune of P20, 000 to offset his pressing debts and this is where we fell out,' claimed Rammidi.

He added, 'As we could not agree to his terms, Lemogang decided to run away and started spreading untruths for his benefit.' Rammidi insisted that the BDP does not buy people to serve it.