Letshabo Gets Nod To Take On Moupo

By Oliver Modise
Staff Writer | Monday March 19, 2007 00:00

 

However, there was a breakthrough in Mahalapye after BNF vice-president, Dr Kathleen Letshabo, got the nod to go for the top job. Her running mate is party ideologue and fellow academic, Dr Elmon Tafa, a former staunch ally of Moupo. In the past, Tafa had labelled Letshabo as a 'mere liberal'. In the party polls, he might face controversial lawyer Gabriel Kanjabanga or South East North MP Olebile Gaborone as the Moupo camp is divided on who to field. Party secretary general Akanyang Magama and chairman Nehemiah Modubule will both defend their positions under the anti-Moupo banner. Magama is likely to face his deputy Mohammed Khan while Modubule will do battle with Billy Makuku. The anti-Moupo group has listed legislator and organising secretary Isaac Mabiletsa for the position of vice secretary. However, this might not work because Mabiletsa is perceived to be a Moupo man.

In what is expected to be a tough contest, Jopa Osupile will face incumbent Moeti Mohwasa in the race for party publicity chief. Itumeleng Fight will contest for the position of organising secretary in the Letshabo group. The rest of the line-up in the anti-Moupo camp are: Paul Mosimanegape (international affairs); Pius Mokgwathi (labour); Aubrey Lesaso (health); and John Disele (economic affairs).

By Saturday, talk was rife that the anti-Moupo camp was still in dispute over who to choose between Letshabo and the reluctant crown prince Dr Baatlhodi Molatlhegi.
Meanwhile, the anti-Moupo group has come under fire for snapping at Moupo during a rally for the Mathangwane by-election. Former Gaborone mayor Nelson Ramaotwana said that the organisers of the rally gave Moupo a cold reception   and did not allow him to speak. He said Tafa spoke for too long at the rally eating up all the time allocated to Moupo. 'I was embarrassed to see what was happening. It was unnecessary to come and show our differences on a final campaign that was meant to benefit the party,' said Ramaotwana. He accused the group of campaigning for party posts instead of concentrating on winning the by-election and that is why the BNF fared badly.

When contacted, Magama took a swipe at the Moupo camp for deliberately creating stories and running to the media. The BNF northern branch chairman, Shingane Oitsile, could only say: 'I was told he spoke for a very short time but as to whether he was given a cold reception or not I don't know'. Molatlhegi said that Moupo told him that he (Moupo)  2 did not want to speak much and there was no hostility between them as people want to believe. Attempts to contact Tafa by the time of going to press were futile.