Saleshando warns BCP over wrangling in Phikwe

Saleshando issued the warning after a BCP parliamentary hopeful Itumeleng 'Shine' Ngakaetsile moved to court to stop the party primaries in the constituency. Both Selebi-Phikwe East and West are considered as BCP strongholds, but recent events have the potential to undermine the party's potency. Ngakaetsile's unprecedented court case halted the Selebi-Phikwe East BCP primaries scheduled for last Saturday, leaving the party faithful in confusion. The politician went to court after he was vetted out of the BCP primaries.

Saleshando fell short of pointing out the reason for Ngakaetsile's vetting out when he suggested that there is a third force behind the BCP troubles in Selebi-Phikwe East.

The BCP leader said a member of the party could, among others, be vetted out for indiscipline. Insiders say Ngakaetsile and other members who were once suspended by the party in Selebi-Phikwe East were being accused of indiscipline and 'disruptive' behaviour.

But the 'renegades' countered the allegations, claiming that the party leadership in Selebi-Phikwe East is out to close doors on anyone challenging Nzwaligwa Nzwaligwa and his 'team'.

Nzwaligwa contested and lost the last parliamentary elections in the constituency under the BCP banner. Some party members in the constituency loyal to Ngakaetsile have alleged that the BCP leadership in Selebi-Phikwe drew a lobby list of council and parliamentary candidates before primary elections were called. Saleshando has dismissed the claims and said such a thing would be suicidal.

Despite the recent problems afflicting the party in Selebi-Phikwe East, Saleshando has maintained that the BCP is more than prepared for the 2009 general elections.

While acknowledging the internal squabbles in the constituency, the former MP describes the situation as a political problem, which requires a political solution. He said vetting is a necessary evil in politics. 'In politics, control is necessary; otherwise you might find the party being run by yourself and the opposition. There has to be a control mechanism or else there will be no reason to call yourselves a political party,' Saleshando said.

He hinted that the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) has infiltrated the BCP is sponsoring people to cause turmoil in the party. 'The BDP cannot call itself a ruling party if it doesn't infiltrate. They (BDP) want to survive and therefore have to know what we are doing. They can only do so through infiltration,' Saleshando said. He added that the opposition parties must guard against infiltration.

Saleshando does not regret the day Ngakaetsile and another aspiring candidate, Modise 'Super' Thipe were vetted out. He believes the leadership has to put down its foot when it comes to disciplinary matters. 'When you are the head of a kingdom, you are in charge of discipline and have to act where it is necessary. All (political) parties do that,' Saleshando said.

He dismissed claims by Ngakaetsile that the party is favouring certain candidates and said the vetting committee's decision is final. It is alleged that Ngakaetsile and Thipe were barred from contesting because they discussed party issues with the media.

Without mentioning names, Saleshando has hit out at some members of the BCP who are fond of discussing internal issues with the media. He believes that some of the people who are making noise in the party are sympathisers of Selebi-Phikwe mayor, Benjamin Bagayi, a former BCP member who defected to the BDP after sharp differences with the leadership in 2003. He quit after losing the BCP primaries to Nzwaligwa.

'The BDP is using Bagayi to destabilise the BCP. Remember Bagayi defected to the BDP but some of his followers remained behind. I believe this group is still with him. How can our party be run by ourselves, Bagayi and the BDP at the same time?,' he asked.

Saleshando said what is happening in Selebi-Phikwe East is a normal political problem and will go on until people realise that the BDP is involved. He is confident that the situation would normalise. He is not amused that Ngakaetsile has taken the party to the High Court, although he says he is exercising his democratic rights.

'In a democracy, if a person is complaining, let them complain. But I believe one has to go through normal party structures. It is unfortunate if one goes through an institution like the court, which is not our relative,' Saleshando said. He added that courts should not decide who a party should vet and who should run the party.

He said the BCP was neither part of the judiciary nor a magistrate's court. He suggested that Ngakaetsile might be kicked out of the party for moving to court. 'Expulsion is the last option. It is not easy to expel someone from the party. It is easy to join today, but to be expelled is cumbersome,' he said. Saleshando suspects that the idea behind Ngakaetsile's court action is to destabilise the party and not to win. Tension has been simmering in Phikwe East since Ngakaetsile announced his wish to stand for his party's primaries. Some of his supporters have been given written warnings while others have been suspended for what the constituency leadership terms disruptive behaviour.