Fireworks dominate BALA conference

Patricia Edwin
Staff Writer | Monday August 13, 2012 00:00

The disagreements got so bad that some of the councils ended up boycotting the elections.  BALA president, Reverend Mpho Machakga Moruakgomo had to eventually divide the house on the issue of adopting the constitution as some councillors vehemently refused to participate.

However, the constitution was finally adopted by a majority of those who had no problem voting. A clause in the same constitution was further waived on the issue of the elections that suggested that only members who were active and subscribing members of BALA should vote. Some members said that the clause should be waived for the sake of these elections and the old constitution used.

The house was divided again as some councillors argued that the elections could not be held and that the clause should not be waived. The house had to be divided once again and those who supported waiving the clause were in the majority. However, it must be noted that most councillors still did not participate in the elections.Francistown councilor Ignatius Moswaane was in the forefront among vocal councillors saying the constitution should not be adopted without the approval of the congress that is BALA.  Most councillors complained that the executive committee took the constitution to Registrar of Companies without the approval of councillors and now were trying to force the delegates to adopt the constitution because they were under pressure.

Councillor Molatedi Selala of Kweneng District accused the executive committee of adding some things to the new constitution that were not in the draft or even in the minutes.  'They are now afraid that they will get into trouble because they took decisions without consulting. There is a clause that is not in the draft constitution and not even in the minutes. That has now been put in the new constitution,' he said. Selala was referring to the clause that decided that BALA elections were going to be conducted by means on an Electoral College that includes all members of the executive committee, all chairpersons or mayors, all branch chairpersons and their secretaries, chairpersons of commissions and two delegates from each council. He further said that the delegates should have been given the chance to look at the constitution before being forced to adopt it.

It came to a point where the cantankerous Moswaane openly accused Moruakgomo of being unfair and cheating. He said that the constitution remained a draft until adopted by its own body, which is BALA. Moswaane, whom a stern-looking Moruakgomo had to wag his finger at for being 'disruptive', said the way the executive committee was trying to conduct the proceeding of adopting the document was wrong and unprocedural.