BNF members plead for Kgosipula pardon
CC has not yet agreed on forgiveness Kgosipula remains suspended
Some members of the Botswana National Front (BNF) central committee (CC) have requested the party president, Duma Boko to forgive the suspended party elder, Mokgweetsi Kgosipula for ‘misbehaving’.
The plea comes after the BNF CC met over the weekend in Mahalapye to discuss a number of issues that the party is currently facing. Former Mogoditshane Member of Parliament, Kgosipula was last month suspended by his constituency for allegedly tarnishing the image of the party.
Insiders say the CC agreed that if Kgosipula continues with his misbehaviour then the party president should immediately take action against him.
“Members of CC are concerned with the behaviour of some party members who are soiling the party’s good name for reasons best known to them. There was no evidence brought before the CC that indeed some members were trying to rig elections or trying to make new membership cards. It is now clear that some members are being used by our enemies to tarnish the image of the party. If they do not desist from their behaviour, then they will be expelled. It is up to the party president if he forgives them or not because they failed to produce evidence to support their action. Again, the BNF has a proper procedure on how members should behave
or act if aggrieved by certain things,” the insider says.
It is also said the CC agreed that the constituencies have the power to suspend as per the constitution and only their committee or congress could overrule that.
It is also said the CC agreed that the party president or any party structure should not be hesitant to take action against members who tarnish the good name of the party in the media or social media without the party’s authority.
Kgosipula is one of the campaign managers for presidential hopeful, Baatlhodi Molatlhegi.
Both Molatlhegi and incumbent party president, Boko, will be contesting for the party presidency.
Kgosipula was last week suspended by his constituency for allegedly speaking to the media without authorisation.
Kgosipula is under the Lentsweletau-Mmopane constituency. It is alleged that the committee has the power to suspend a member unless the CC overrules the decision.
The BNF spokesperson Justin Hunyepa said; “this issue is still internal. The CC will meet again this month to decide the way forward on it. We will release a statement regarding the matter after we have concluded on it.”
A letter penned by the Lentsweletau-Mmopane constituency chairperson, Ontefetse Rankhibidu had stated that Kgosipula tarnished the image of the party in an interview with one local online newspaper.
In the interview Kgosipula said the BNF has been accusing Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) of rigging elections, while it is worse than the ruling party when it comes to rigging elections.
On the contrary, the Molatlhegi campaign team spokesperson, Kaboyaone Sedimo said they were surprised by Kgosipula’s suspension.
“As the Molatlhegi campaign team we were shocked and dismayed to learn of the so-called suspension of comrade Kgosipula, campaign coordinator and veteran BNF activist, from the movement. The purported suspension of Comrade Kgosipula from the BNF smacks of extreme panic by the Boko’s campaign arising from a spirited campaign carried out by the Molatlhegi team and is a desperate attempt to halt Molatlhegi or ‘Bucs’ campaign,” Sedimo said.
“The so-called suspension is a desperate and feeble effort aimed at distracting the attention of both BNF members and the general public from last week’s illegal activities carried out by some individuals under the cover of darkness at the party office. These people and their handlers have crystalised into an underground faction to frustrate the will of the BNF members, and steal the forthcoming central committee elections. This will not be tolerated, and it will not stand. We wish to state it categorically clear that the Bucs campaign does not recognise the so-called suspension of Kgosipula.”
Sedimo added added it is an act of indiscipline and extreme insubordination for the chairperson of the Lentsweletsau-Mmopane constituency to purport to take action against Kgosipula on a matter that is currently before the BNF Central Committee. Furthermore, they said it is a continuation of the Boko camp’s shameless misuse of BNF facilities and party structures to serve the interests of their lobby group.
“We call upon BNF members to reject the misuse of the BNF structures to advance personal interests. It is irrational actions such as this so-called suspension that undermine the integrity and image of our once-great organisation in the eyes of the public.
This kind of intolerance of a different viewpoint is not characteristic of the BNF’s political culture and traditions. We advise and demand that the BNF central committee should act expeditiously to rein in the perpetrators of this and other illegal acts to protect the image of the organisation.
Molatlhegi’s campaign team said it is keen to call for an independent body to supervise the forthcoming BNF Youth League and BNF congresses, as well as a membership audit and the publication of the voters’ roll well in advance.