Disgruntled Mbaakanyi Lenyatso entertains ruling party

BCP de-campaigned me to orchestrate my loss – Lenyatso I do not know where my Vice President is – BPP President

The Vice President of the Botswana People’s Party (BPP), Mbaakanyi Lenyatso has confirmed that the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) is recruiting him. Lenyatso, who joined the BPP from the BDP in 2014, told this publication in an interview that both the BPP and parent party Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) do not want him.

“The BDP approached me well before the 2019 general elections. I put them off by generally ignoring them. I was secure and happy in the BPP. This time around, I have been availing my time to them hence they are emboldened. I must admit that I have not been feeling at home in the BPP for some time now,” confessed Lenyatso who was the (UDC) candidate for the Francistown West constituency at the general elections last year. Lenyatso found himself leading a divided campaign effort as the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) insisted that the constituency should have been allocated to them and not to the BPP. The BCP argued that they have a larger following in the area hence a better chance of delivering it to the Umbrella. In that tussle, the BPP won the day as the constituency was finally allocated to them.

After the elections, the Lenyatso campaign team accused the BCP of sabotage, claiming that their partners voted with the BDP.

“Some in the BCP leadership actively de-campaigned me in the constituency to orchestrate my loss,” he noted. As if his troubles in the constituency were not burdensome enough, he was suspended from the BPP by the party leader, Motlatsi Molapisi. The rather adamant Lenyatso refused to acknowledge the disciplinary action as he continued participating in party activities including contesting the elections contrary to the terms of the suspension as stated in the suspension letter. To this day, Molapisi and Lenyatso do not see eye to eye as they are allegedly not even in talking terms. “I feel unwanted in the BPP. Leadership meetings are held behind my back and it seems nobody in the BPP leadership ever demands answers from Molapise on why I am being ostracised,” lamented Lenyatso who accused the UDC leadership of looking the other way. “I am the only UDC candidate who was not launched in the general election last year. The business of launching candidates resided with the UDC. The UDC know my problems but nobody has reached out to me. I am unwanted and treated like an enemy by both organisations. Both the BPP and UDC are rejecting me,” cried the BPP vice president who made it clear that he has not joined the ruling party as yet.

“I am still undecided,” said Lenyatso who is pained that he did not even get as much as an invitation to the recent event welcoming Ignatius Moswaane to the UDC in Francistown. “Many do not know that I was at the forefront, recruiting Moswaane. I am happy he is joining the BPP. It is a good thing,” said Lenyatso.

Strangely, Molapise says he is in the dark about the whereabouts of his Vice President. “I do not know where he is. I must also point out that I do not have any problems with him. After all, following his disregard for the suspension, the central committee formalised things and lifted the suspension. He had contested the elections in-spite of the suspension by the way,” noted Molapise, who also revealed that his deputy has been invited to three (3) central committee meetings between 2019 and 2020. “He attended none but sent an apology only for the 2020 meeting,” explained Molapise. According to the UDC Head of Communication, Moeti Mohwasa, no formal report has been brought to the attention of the coalition concerning any problems within the party. “The UDC respects the independence of its contracting partners. Hence it will only make an intervention when invited. With regards to the BPP, the UDC is not even aware of any problems in the party because no report has been made to us,” Mohwasa said