BDP's publicity guru goes

LEKOPANYE MOOKETSI
Correspondent | Tuesday September 14, 2010 00:00

 

This was when some party members, especially those who were associated with the Barata-Phathi, decamped from BDP to form the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD).

At that time, it was expected that more BDP members, including high ranking officials, would jump ship.  

Garekwe was appointed, amongst others, to do damage control for the BDP.

At the height of the formation of the BMD, Garekwe insisted that the BDP was still strong and the defection of their members would not shake the ruling party.

In the past, the BDP has not had a public relations officer.  This was the first time that the party created the post. 

In the past, the public relations exercise was done by the executive secretary and other party officials.   

As the BDP was facing an onslaught from BMD, the party also appointed a public relations think tank committee.  It was not clear at that time what the role of the public relations think thank committee was going to be and what role Garekwe was expected to play.  But there was a fear that they were going to step into Garekwe's territory.

When contacted, Garekwe said he did not think he would go back to his BDP job. 

Garekwe did not reveal the reason why he left the BDP top post.  He said he had played his part. 

However, there are reports that he was not in good books with the party treasurer, motor magnate, Sadar Dada.

Other reports are that Garekwe did not come to terms with the BDP regarding his salary package.

Referring to Garekwe's salary package, Dada was recently quoted by the Botswana Guardian as saying that people think that the BDP has a lot of money, but this is not the case.

BDP secretary general, Thato Kwerepe, confirmed that Garekwe was no longer working for the party.  But he said the person with more information was Dada because he is dealing with the matter. 

Dada was not available for comment. His assistant said he was in a meeting.  

This was not the first time that Garekwe had worked for the BDP.  He used to be the BDP executive secretary in the 80s. 

He lost his job after he was convicted of embezzling BDP funds. During his trial, Garekwe asked whether he should reveal that part of the money was budgeted to cause havoc to opposition parties. 

Garekwe later trained as a lawyer and has been running his law firm before the BDP employed him as a public relations manager. 

During the 2005 by-election for Gaborone West North, Garekwe was the campaign manager for Robert Masitara.  The BDP lost the by-election to the Botswana National Front (BNF) which fielded former president, Otsweletse Moupo.