A Botswana National Front (BNF) constituency meeting in Mogoditshane congress turned into an ugly scene when members loyal to party president Otsweletse Moupo clashed with vice president Kathleen Letshabo's supporters recently.
The purpose of the meeting was the election of delegates to the upcoming party special congress called by Moupo to determine the future or otherwise of his BNF presidency.
According to information reaching Monitor, trouble started when a group of people - allegedly sneaked in by councillor for Tsolamosese and staunch Moupo supporter Keitirile Keitirile - failed to produce their party membership identity cards.
Those calling for the alleged trespassers to be jettisoned clashed with councillor Keitirile. Violence erupted when Keitirile tried to argue against the move, allegedly drawing a spray gun in the process.
The mayhem could have gotten worse, but Mogoditshane police were soon on hand to stop the scrimmage.
In an interview with Monitor, the Deputy Commander of Mogoditshane Police Station Onkemetse Tawana confirmed that they were called in to calm things down:
"It's true that we are investigating an issue involving a BNF councillor," she said, adding that no one has so far been charged and that they were still trying to determine who started the fight.
"It is confusing because everyone claims to have been beaten up," Tawana explained.
Councillor Keitirile would not be drawn into the issue, preferring to refer Monitor to BNF Publicity Secretary Moeti Mohwasa. "I cannot answer you. Just talk to Mohwasa," he said, before quickly hanging up. But efforts to seek clarification from Mohwasa hit a similar blank: "This is an internal party matter and is better left with the BNF disciplinary committee to deal with," he said.
Meanwhile, the BNF Secretary General Akanyang Magama, whose portfolio covers elections, says that they are still awaiting a formal report from the Mogoditshane Constituency.
