BNF Treasurer aspirant suspended

Watshipi dismisses the suspension as a joke

Botswana National Front (BNF) aspiring treasurer, Gilbert Watshipi has been suspended from the party by the Mmopane-Lentsweletau Constituency.

Watshipi who is in a lobby led by party vice president Dr Prince Dibeela for the party’s leadership was last year cautioned about discussing party matters with the media.

According to a letter written by Constituency Chairman Ontefetse Rankhibidu, having been warned about this behaviour last year, Watshipi continued with the same acts of misconduct as he gave an interview to a Sunday newspaper in February this year still talking about party internal issues.

Rankhibidu said all of these interviews were sowing seeds of division within the party instead of peace and unity. Watshipi was the 2019 Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) Parliamentary candidate for the constituency.

“On the 10th November 2020 the BNF Kweneng region committee wrote a letter to you cautioning you against talking about party internal matters with the media.

“The Kweneng region was mainly referring to an interview you gave to The Voice of 19th October 2020 and The Weekend Post of 7th -13th November 2020.

“You continued with the same acts of misconduct as you gave an interview to The Patriot on Sunday of 13th February 2021 still talking about party internal issues.

“All of these interviews were sowing seeds of division within the party instead of peace and unity”, the constituency chairman said in the suspension letter.

Rankhibidu said after seeing the February interview, Lentsweletau-Mmopane constituency committee called Watshipi to a meeting so that they can hear his grievances and come up with solutions. He said Watshipi did not attend the meeting without giving any apology.

“We gave you a second chance as we called you for another meeting and you also did not come. We therefore use Article 16.12 of Botswana National Front constitution to suspend you from the party pending disciplinary hearing”, reads the suspension letter.

Watshipi dismissed the suspension as a joke. He said as far as he is concerned, he is a member of the BNF in good standing.

He said the current constituency committee is not recognised as there has not been any regional congress.

He said the committee is a group of friends who voted themselves into office.

Last year through a letter signed by BNF Kweneng Regional chairperson, Tshwaragano Motswagole the party cautioned Watshipi indicating that an observation has been made regarding his continued acts of misconduct, indiscipline and hooliganism, which bring the name of the party into disrepute and sow seeds of discord within the party.