BDP won't name its 'secret agents' yet

RYDER GABATHUSE
Staff Writer | Friday February 5, 2010 00:00

 

'That is an internal party matter and we are not going to disclose the names of the three men to the press as of now,' declared BDP executive secretary, Dr Comma Serema yesterday.

This has further raised speculation that Khama could have roped in outsiders to investigate BDP matters. Serema was also quick to rebut allegations made by some BDP members that the President was using Directorate of Intelligence Services (DIS) sleuths to investigate some errant party operatives. Khama was also accused of being the only man in possession of the report, whilst other members of the central committee were in the dark about the contents of a document meant to guide the entire team in its decisions. 'It's not the DIS that compiled that report and I find it unfair that every time people speculate without a clue, they point fingers at the DIS,' said Serema. The director of the DIS, Isaac Kgosi has also cleared his organisation saying that as a non-political organisation, it does not play any role in the BDP affairs.

Asked as to whether other BDP Central Committee members and the party general membership were aware of the trio that conducted investigations for Khama as alleged, Serema was adamant that 'the matter remains an internal issue'. 

Meanwhile, Mmegi is also privy to details that the BDP last Monday appointed a four-man delegation, comprising party chairman Daniel Kwelagobe, secretary general Thato Kwerepe, treasurer Satar Dada and central committee member, John Wellio. The duty of this committee is apparently to further investigate the allegations, which were raised by Khama in the report he read out at the Monday meeting.  The quartet is expected to meet the identified 'troublemakers' and report back to Khama as soon as possible.

This follows queries from some central Committee members that Botsalo Ntuane, Kabo Morwaeng and Sidney Pilane are alleged to have connived with the opposition but were at no stage confronted with the allegations of impropriety. Khama is alleged to have pointed out that his report accused the trio of having contravened the party rules in the last elections by working with the opposition.

The motive of the trio, it is alleged, was to defeat certain intended purposes of the party.

Whilst Serema confirmed that a four-man team had been sent out to meet some of the accused politicians, he was in no mood to disclose the names of the four politicians.

His contention is, 'the matter is an internal party matter which is not for public consumption at this stage.'One of the trio that is likely to be suspended from the party once found guilty, Ntuane told Mmegi yesterday: 'As we speak, I haven't received anything official about the purported party investigations except that I continue reading about these things from the press.'

Apparently, party members are already questioning the legality of a report that Khama is alleged to be using against some members.

They are wondering which structure of the party really sanctioned the investigations if the entire central committee was in the dark. 'Everybody is in the dark. A lot of people are clueless about the Khama report and you wonder whose report is it after all,' said a BDP insider.