It has since become very evident that some Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) members are voting out those perceived to be anti-President Mokgweetsi Masisi in key positions.
There is a temporary team within the BDP calling itself ‘Sireletsa party, sireletsa Tautona’ which is alleged to be secretly led by a party sub-committee called Political Education and Elections Committee (PEEC).
The purpose of the PEEC is to conduct elections within party structures and to ensure that the elections are held freely and fairly. Already some members are complaining that the said sub-committee is interfering with elections in some structures.
“It is true we had a councillors' caucus where I was voted out on Sunday. I will not be a mayor anymore on June 6, 2022. I was shocked by the outcome of Sunday results because councillors had openly told me that they don’t want me or my deputy to be challenged. I had votes even on Saturday. But it's like there was a meeting that made people change their minds. Of course, I was working hand in hand with MP Matsheka but if there are any issues, I was not part of them. Even councillors, I was working well with them. We never had any complaints or disputes in our area,” Pandora said in an interview.
What pains Pandora is that he has never been involved or sent by the MP to do anything that is against the party or anyhow de-campaigned himself.
He continued: “There was no way I could distance myself from the MP. I was giving him the respect that he deserves as an MP, nothing more or less. It will be unfortunate if some misinterpreted what I was doing.”
However, Pandora said he would support the new mayor when he takes over and continue to work hard for Lobatse residents.
The mayor said he will continue to be a BDP member and very loyal to his party.
Out of 13 councillors, Pandora was voted by three while the new mayor elect, Jomo Dithebe got eight votes. The new deputy is Phemelo Masisi.
For his part, Dithebe confirmed being elected by the party caucus to be the Lobatse mayor.
“Yes, it is true we had a party caucus and I was elected there together with the deputy. I cannot say much because Pandora is still the mayor until I take over on June 6, 2022, during the full council meeting. This process is an internal one and it is not known. I cannot say much on the matter,” he said.
BDP spokesperson Kagelelo Kentse said though they are not aware of the team calling itself ‘Sireletsa party, Sireletsa Tautona’, what the members will be doing will not be wrong since the BDP constitution calls on members to do that.
“For those who might be losing the positions of party structures and being said to be anti-Masisi should think twice as members want to remind them of their obligation when they joined the party. Any individual who does not support the President or fight for his or her party must get worried about what she/he does. It is the responsibility of each member to be doing exactly what those members are doing. Mind you, this is a voluntary movement and must act when their party or President is under attack or in the wrong hands,” Kentse said.
He said some members who are losing elections must not hide behind PEEC since it does not in any way influence members because each area differs in its own internal politics.
He said most of the time members make their own judgements without being influenced by anyone.
Meanwhile, the misunderstanding between President Masisi and the Lobatse MP has been playing out in the open and it is said that the President had even made it clear to some Cabinet ministers that indeed there exists a problem when he (Matsheka) was still a minister. This led to him being reshuffled from cabinet.
Mmegi has learnt that Matsheka will be challenged next year during party primary elections.
