BNF central committee accused of election ruse

EPHRAIM KEORENG
Staff Writer | Friday May 14, 2010 00:00

 

The party leadership is reported to have made an order that all MPs and councillors, who owe monthly subscriptions but aspire to stand for the BNFYL elections should first pay up.

Councillor Thomas Kgethenyane is reportedly in arreas amounting to P4,000. He is aspiring for the vice-presidency of the party under a lobby group led by Councillor Molatedi Selala. Contacted for comment, Kgethenyane said he was unable to pay the money because he used it to pay off debts he incurred campaigning for the 2009 general elections.'As you know, we finance the campaigns from our pockets,' he said.

'Last year, when we approached the BNF to help us retain our seats for the party, we were told by the leadership that the party could sponsor winnable constituencies like that of Moeti Mohwasa.

'We then told them that we would use the money for subscriptions to repay our debts. However, they were adamant that our debts were personal and had nothing to do with the party. I have actually paid for the period 2004 to 2009, which shows that I am loyal to the party.'

He said the ban on defaulters was unfair and unconstitutional. 'It's a ploy by the central committee to ensure that their preferred candidates come into power (in the BNFYL executive),' said Kgethenyane. 'I am going to Kanye as a candidate and no one will stop me.' Meanwhile, BNFYL spokesman Arafat Khan has refuted allegations that the party leadership was trying to prop up its preferred candidates by cutting out others.

 'It might not be in the constitution, but the central committee has powers to regulate BNF activities,' Khan said. 'This order affects all lobby groups and almost one person from each group owes. As we speak, one of our candidates could not make the deadline because he came after 4.30 to pay his debts.

Kgethenyane owes the party and should pay up. He will not stand because he is not a candidate. Security will be tight to guard against any violent behaviour at the congress.' When contacted for comment, party spokesman Moeti Mohwasa said the party last year adopted a resolution that MPs and councillors who default on subscriptions should not be allowed to stand for elections. 'So there is no one who is being targeted,' Mohwasa said.

'Actually, those who withheld their subscriptions are the ones who sabotaged themselves because they knew what would happen if they didn't pay the party its money. How can anyone want to lead an organisation if they don't want to respect its resolutions.

The congress will be held at Ngwaketsi Junior Secondary School in Kanye this weekend.