Gaborone mayor nips 'no confidence' motion in the bud

CHANDAPIWA BAPUTAKI
Staff Writer | Wednesday March 23, 2011 00:00

Yesterday councillor Ndiwane Kenosi stood up to comment on Lesole's speech, but chose instead to invoke Council Standing Order 45, which allows for motions without notice, and proceeded to move that council should declare no confidence in the mayor, whose speech he termed 'an embarrassment'.

Council standing orders empower the mayor to adjourn council, and she used the provision to adjourn council to a date she would announce later. As for Kenosi's motion, she said it would be moved when the time for motions comes.

However, Kenosi responded that he was supported by the standing orders and discontinuing would be denying him an opportunity to comment. Seabelo Tshekiso of the BCP said the mayor could not over rule a standing order and should allow for secondment before she could refuse the motion altogether. Ephraim Mabengano also of the BCP said that this was not the first motion to be moved without notice and therefore should be presented.

In his motion Kenosi had called for the council to pass a vote of no confidence in the office of the mayor and all committees namely, education, health, SHHA, finance and others. Giving his reasons, Kenosi said that it was shocking for the mayor to say market stalls were allocated to beneficiaries engaged in catering and upholstery projects while 'we agreed with her here that those stalls were not allocated properly'. 'She agreed with us then but today she wants us to praise her speech when she says the opposite of what we had agreed back then,' Kenosi said.

He further said that the mayor and her deputy Haskins Nkayigwa of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) were not working as a team. 'Even when they come to meetings the mayor arrives alone while the town clerk arrives with her deputies,' he said.

Kenosi further said there are situations when the councillors only hear about changes in council from the media, citing two clerks who were working at GCC at the same time. 'We heard that the mayor chose who she wanted to work with. We later heard from the media that Wazha Tema, who was supposed to be working here would not be coming anymore. She did not inform us about that issue because she does not take us seriously,' he said about Agnes Seragi who retained her position as City Clerk earlier this year, while Tema was redeployed to the Kweneng District Council (KDC).

The PS transferred Seragi to Molepolole, replacing her with Tema. During that tussle the mayor allegedly publicly recognised Tema. It was further reported that Seragi contested the transfer on the grounds that she should be allowed to complete five years at GCC as she had been there for less than two years.

He said it was embarrassing for them to be told that there would be floods this year and as councillors they rushed to inform the people in their wards and nothing happened. 'No one came and told us as councillors that the information we got was wrong after,' he said.

The councillor questioned the number of international trips that the mayor has undertaken since being elected. 'We as councillors don't even know what you would have gone to do and you always go there alone without any representatives from this house. We are asking ourselves if we voted you to be a mayor of other cities out there,' he said.

Reverend Rupert Hambira, who is a BDP specially elected councillor, asked for adjournment because they were not prepared for the motion. BCP councillor Chanungwa Mphusu responded that this was not the first time that they have had a motion moved without notice. 'That people are not prepared for it is not a valid reason that can hold water. It is by people who want to waste time,' he said.  At this point the Lesole said she was dismantling the house and called for a vote on adjournment or continuation of the meeting. Councillors asked for clarifications, point of procedures but the mayor would have none of it. 'Sit down. You are not saying anything at all. I am now using my power as the mayor. The meeting is adjourned until further notice,' she declared. As the councillors trooped out, the BDP councillors remained behind for a meeting. 'This cannot be an open vote. She came in through a secret vote and she will go out in the same way,' Mabengano said.