Gaborone Central officials dump BDP

EPHRAIM KEORENG
Staff Writer | Tuesday June 8, 2010 00:00

 

In a letter addressed to the BDP secretariat, Gaborone Central branch secretary, Bogadi Nwako notifies the party that she, together with 10 members of the branch committee are resigning from the ruling party with immediate effect. Attached to the letter are copies of resignation letters from 13 committee members of the branch and ward committees.

Among them are deputy secretary, Monica Gomotho, deputy treasurer, Masego Motlhaleemang and women's wing chairperson, Ethel Morubana. Nwako said their resignation is a reaction to the treatment they got from the BDP leadership when then BDP secretary general, Gomolemo Motswaledi was suspended and subsequently replaced by a new candidate for the parliamentary seat, Kgomotso Mogami without their consent.

'We were not consulted nor informed at all. One time we wrote to the party leadership to seek an explanation on what was happening (regarding Motswaledi's suspension) but no one gave us an audience. We kept hearing about it in the media while the leadership could have told us what was happening. That is how we got to lose hope that things will be fine, in as far as the running of BDP is concerned. We always heard that there is no democracy in the BDP and we have since come to believe that it is indeed true, hence we joined the BMD, which among others stands to promote democracy in Botswana,' said Nwako.

She said they were disheartened after working for three years for their candidate Motswaledi to win the 2009 general elections, only to be disappointed by his recall. 'We knew the party leadership has the final say in suspensions and other disciplinary measures but when we approached them, we thought we would be listened to, but unfortunately no one gave us an audience,' said Nwako. Efforts to contact BDP spokesperson Segaetsho Garekwe and executive secretary Dr Comma Serema were futile as they were said to be away in Maun on party business.