DK comes face-to-face with Barataphathi lieutenants

RYDER GABATHUSE
Staff Writer | Friday February 12, 2010 00:00

The trio were yesterday scheduled to meet a high-powered BDP delegation sent by President Ian Khama a fortnight ago and led by the party chairman, Daniel Kwelagobe.

Other members of the BDP committee of four include party secretary general Thato Kwerepe, treasurer Satar Dada and central committee member, John Wellio.

Khama instructed the quartet a fortnight ago to meet their targeted “troublemakers” and find out the truth relating to the allegations that the trio may have connived with the opposition against the interests of the ruling party. The trio, Pilane, Ntuane and Morwaeng are known members of the BDP Barataphathi faction. This matter has apparently brought Kwelagobe, a former staunch member of the Barataphathi faction whose loyalty to the axis has been in doubt lately, face-to-face with his former factional lieutenants for the first time.

Before the fall out, Kwelagobe was the leader of the Barataphathi faction and commanded a lot of respect, with Pilane, Ntuane and Morwaeng among the strategists of the group.

Kwelagobe and his team are mandated by Khama to confront the trio with reports that sometime last year they allegedly connived with the opposition in campaigning for Gomolemo Motswaledi to be nominated as a Specially Elected MP after last year’s general elections. Apparently, Khama had his preferred list, which the trio is reported to have worked against.

The BDP report, which was recently handled to Khama by three men whose identities are concealed, the trio is reportedly guilty and should be subjected to a disciplinary hearing.

Although Khama had pronounced the trio “guilty” basing on his report, some members of the BDP central committee found it appropriate to hear the side of the three men’s story and this was later agreed.

Quizzed about the meeting yesterday, BDP executive secretary, Dr. Comma Serema told Mmegi, “ I don’t sit in the committee. By the way, the committee is an internal arrangement serving the interests of the party and not public.”

He also referred this publication to the party chairman, Kwelagobe and quipped: “This matter is being handled by a senior member of the party whom I give the benefit of the doubt. He will also report back to the party once their mission over,” he said referring to Kwelagobe.

When reached for comment yesterday, Kwelagobe did not deny that he was meeting some party members at the instruction of the party leader, Khama.  But insisted: “It’s not tidy to talk to the media about your fellow party members before you can even address them on the subject,” explained Kwelagobe.

He stressed that he is only sent by President Khama and he is doing party work. “...Ga e ka ke ya re o romilwe wa tsamaya o ntse o re ke romilwe gatwe gatwe (When you are sent to do a job, you don’t go around announcing your mission to the world.)”

Mmegi also had the opportunity to talk to two of the trio, Ntuane and Morwaeng who were in no mood to talk to the press insisting that they are still members of the BDP.

It was apparent that the trio went into yesterday’s meeting still in the dark about what the leadership had in store for them. They assumed that the meeting could be about Khama’s report which purport that they connived with members of the opposition to act against the wishes of the party.It is also common that the trio will not offer any apology if asked to by the quartet because they really have nothing to apologise for.