Nyeku: "I'm ready for BDP challenge"

RYDER GABATHUSE
Staff Writer | Thursday May 20, 2010 00:00

 

'I am already informed that BDP councillors, associated with the party's A-Team, are going to move a motion of no confidence against my administration with a view to ousting me. I am confident that they do not have the requisite numbers to do so,' stated a confident Nyeku.

The mayor said that although he was not certain as to who was leaving and who was remaining, 'I cannot be threatened by people who only have five supporters on their side'.

Deputy mayor, Stanley Masalila, will not be moving to the new party for now. 'I would prefer to remain in the BDP for now,' declared Masalila yesterday. But, those in the know doubted his statement, insisting that the councillor was on the BMD side.

From the old order here, the Barata-Phathi axis, which has since morphed into a fully-fledged political party, had about nine members, whilst the A-Team remained at five.

On the opposition side is independent councillor, Ignatius Moswaane, and seven from the Botswana Congress Party (BCP), who form part of the total 22 FCC civic leaders.

Information reaching Mmegi shows that the BMD has a good chance of retaining the mayoral seat because already six of the nine councillors have reportedly confirmed their move to the new party.  One of the remaining Barata-Phathi faction loyalists is currently sitting on the fence, whilst Nyeku is talking to two councillors in the hope that by the end of Wednesday he shall have convinced the remaining two to cross the floor.

On the other hand, the A-Team was working hard to muster the numbers to oust Nyeku. Ford Moiteela, BDP nominated councillor, recently told an FCC special full council meeting that 'we are going to pass a motion of no confidence on the mayor should he cross to the new party'.

He buttressed the threat at a later stage that they were working hard to get the numbers to their side and it was progressing well. He even oozed confidence that four of the Barata-Phathi councillors were reluctant to join the new party.

During a recent debate on the disputed trip to the Belgian City of Genk, the A-Team councillors who were opposed to the trip enjoyed support from at least four of the BCP councillors including the independent, whilst the Barata-Phathi had only two BCP councillors on their side.

The recent invitation of the BMD interim leadership members to witness a ceremony marking the merging of the BCP and its partner Botswana Alliance Movement (BAM) has reportedly altered things. BCP and BMD are reportedly bosom buddies shaping recent events at the FCC.

On the surface, the signing ceremony has brought all the BCP councillors together against the A-Team, which could make it difficult for the latter to live up to the dream of ousting Nyeku.

In fact, Moiteela, the mover of the motion to oust Nyeku, told Mmegi yesterday that he was now doubtful that they would succeed against the mayor following the latest developments.

'I doubt if we will really make it, more so that the BCP councillors who recently supported us have indicated that they have been warned to stay away from our factional fights,' he said.

Equally, should Masalila choose to remain with the BDP, whilst BMD and BCP civic leaders continue working together, then he risks losing his chain. Quizzed about the impending move by the BDP civic leaders, BDP executive Secretary, Comma Serema, said he was not aware of the move, 'but I wouldn't be surprised because Nyeku is no longer our member. Our councillors could be thinking of a mayor who is BDP'.

He stressed that it will be in the best interest of the BDP to have a BDP councillor at the helm of the FCC to drive the party policies and programmes of bringing developments to the people of Francistown. 'As of Nyeku, we don't know his manifesto and what it contains,' observed Serema.