She denies links with New Jerusalem faction
Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) activist Roseline Panzira Matshome, who was recently dropped from the position of Secretary of the party’s Communications Sub Committee, is at peace the move taken, saying the President is only trying to assemble a team that he feels can take the party forward.
Matshome said the decision by the party leader Mokgweetsi Masisi to drop her from the role she held is just a sign that he is trying to assemble a team that he (Masisi) thinks it’s capable of working with him in taking the party forward.
She said the move should not be interpreted in any other way, emphasizing that the President has the right to choose his own group of democrats to work with. She claimed that she has not been made upset by the decision.
“I was aware that I was dropped from the subcommittee for whatever reasons. I am not interested but if it was the decision taken to move the party way forward I have no resistance to that,” she added.
Quizzed on her alleged association with the NJ faction which has caused uproar within the ruling party’s internal divisions, the outspoken Matshome said she was not aware of the faction and has no idea what the faction stands for.
“I just have heard such rumours of me being aligned to the NJ which I don’t know whether it does exists or not. I am not a factionalist. I am just relevant and standing firm for the party. NJ is not what I am standing for,” Matshome insisted.
Another demoted member Thapelo Fish Pabalinga, who was removed as the Chair of Communications and International Relations replaced by new party recruit Banks Kentse refused to comment on the development.
Pabalinga remains as ordinary member of the committee.