Masisi- Balopi fallout divides Kweneng East Region
TRegional Chairperson sues Secretary for defamation The attacks on me are personal- Chairperson Maj ( Rt) Motlokwa Regional Committee reverses decision of Mogoditshane Committee to remove the chairperson More regions expected to follow suit ahead of elective congress
he fallout between President Mokgweetsi Masisi and party Secretary General Mpho Balopi has fuelled factionalism within the party at Kweneng East Region, Botswana Guardian has learnt.
The region is currently up in arms as they continue to exchange words of accusation over who is supporting who between the President and the secretary general. Investigations by Botswana Guardian have uncovered that this has divided the regional leadership and some of the leadership of the branches making up the region. Kweneng East Region is made up of Mogoditshane, Gabane- Mankgodi, Thamaga- Kumakwane and MmopaneLentsweletau Constituencies. Some of the regional and branch leadership have been accused of supporting Balopi and pushing for the ousting of Masisi as the party leader. According to sources the fallout between the two leaders has already started causing a strain on various party structures. Those deemed pro- Balopi are said to be targeted. The aim according to sources is to dislodge Balopi loyalists from all leadership positions from Wards to regions in preparation for the party’s elective congress expected this year. The party leadership has since written to various structures to be revived. Infighting at Kweneng Region started in the build- up to the Ledumadumane East by- election and the subsequent removal of the Mogoditshane Branch chairperson Percy Tshuba only to be replaced by his deputy Mmolotsi Motlhagodi,. Tempers have now reached a point of no reconciliation. On the 24th of March 2022 Regional Chairperson Maj ( Rt) Motlokwa wrote to Mogoditshane Brach Secretary communicating the resolution of the region to reinstate Tshuba as Branch chairperson. He stated that the incidents that transpired in the Mogoditshane Branch emanate from a meeting that was summoned
by the secretary in the absence and/ or lack of the branch chairperson. He said the region conducted a meeting with the branch committee on the 20th of February 2022, the agenda of which was to address the problems caused by the unconventional meeting, which was held particularly to oust Tshuba and replace him with Motlhagodi. According to Maj Motlokwa’s letter the meeting did not bear fruits as tempers flared and some of the individuals left the meeting under the conviction that the meeting was null and void. “We did notice the lack of respect for the hierarchy of the party structures in the meeting, especially when people left the meeting, leaving us who called it in a state of dismay. “Certain words were used inappropriately and were out of line, citing the example uttered by the Branch Vice Chairperson Mr Mmolotsi Motlhagodi insinuating that if we were in South Africa they would have had
tyres over our necks and lit us on fire”.
The Kweneng East Regional Committee met on the 7th March 2022 and resolved that: the elected Branch Chairperson Percy Tshuba shall retain his position until such a time as per the decision of the central committee for all the structures to be renewed. “The election will be detrimental in determining who wins that position. All the decisions taken and adopted by the mentioned illegal meeting/ s are declared null and void,” said Maj Motlokwa in the letter. Tshuba and Regional chairperson Major ( Rt) Driver Motlokwa are among those who have been accused of being anti- Masisi and pro- Balopi. The accusations against Maj Motlokwa allegedly by some of his committee members especially the Secretary Obakeng Kgabo have now taken a nasty turn. Maj Motlokwa has now approached his attorneys to sue his secretary for defamation. Sources have revealed that Maj Motlokwa has not taken kindly to the accusations that he does not support Masisi and is lobbying for people to support Balopi. Balopi who was dropped from his ministerial post last year, recently informed a BDP Parliamentary Caucus meeting that he would not be seeking re- election as Secretary General. Maj Motlokwa is said to have taken a decision to sue his secretary to clear his name before the matter could reach any party structure. It is alleged that Motlokwa who in 2018 stood down from contesting for primary elections against current Thamaga- Kumakwane MP Palelo Motaosane, is being accused of holding meetings at night. Tshuba distanced himself from fuelling any factionalism within the party. He told this publication that as far as he knows there is no bad blood between Masisi and Balopi. He also confirmed that as things stand he is still the branch chairperson and can only be removed via ballot at the branch congress or through disciplinary process. “Unlike in the opposition, we at BDP do not have such thing as motion of no confidence. I am aware of such defamatory allegations against me which are all false. I am a BDP member in good standing and have served this party well. “Myself, my committee and the entire branch of Mogoditshane support the leadership of the BDP being the President, Chairman and secretary general. All is well within the party and our leadership. “I would however not want to discuss internal matters with the media. I will deal with all those matters and allegations appropriately internally using internal set processes,” he said. Maj Motlokwa confirmed that he has decided to take the legal route against his secretary. According to Maj Motlokwa he believes his secretary has gone personal against him to tarnish his name. He said the focus has been on his person and not the party or the regional committee. “I value my integrity a lot. I have worked for this party and I am still determined to work for the BDP. What is being done on my character is a deliberate personal attack to tarnish my name. I am 100 percent behind my president. “My prayer ( sic) is to see my party more united than ever before. My support for the party and its leadership is unconditional. I decided to take this route so that when it is taken before any party structure my name would have been cleared. “I just want the secretary to substantiate his claims together with the people who support him on claims that I am antiMasisi. The rest of the issues you asked me would be dealt with accordingly,” said Maj Motlokwa who has engaged his lawyers at Legal Guard. Maj Motlokwa declined to discuss claims that he has also raised concern against the BDP Youth Wing Chairman Karabo Gomotsegang following accusations made during a youth rally at Bophirima Ward. Maj Motlokwa said he had a telephone conversation with the youth leader over the matter.