Khama, Guma no-show

…. as Moitoi gives up

Moitoi shows anger when asked about their whereabouts

Delegates feel dumped 

After allegedly prodding her to fight his political battles, former President Ian Khama had retreated to the comfort of his private dwelling in Mosu when Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi finally threw in the towel in the race to take over the leadership of Botswana Democratic Party (BDP). Observers have constantly maintained that Khama had sponsored Venson-Moitoi to fight his battles with his successor President Mokgweetsi Masisi.

Venson-Moitoi withdrew from the race on Friday in Kang just hours before elections were to take place with none of those that seemed to have desperately desired her victory than her on site. Khama and MP for Tati East Samson Moyo Guma have appeared to desperate for Venson-Moitoi victory, citing more of their own problems with the incumbent than her strengths.

The duo was not in court with her on Thursday as she challenged the party stand in denying her delegates and failing to provide her with the voters roll. Guma skipped the country a month ago citing security concerns though it has been claimed he was running away from his own troubles with the tax agency.

While she was smarting from humiliation loss at the courts on Thursday and her main managers’ disappearance act, some of her delegates also migrated to Camp Dubai – President Masisi’s camp that is said to be well resourced.

“We were duped by our area MP that MmaMoitoi is the right person to lead the party and has numbers but we can’t be associated with them anymore! This is embarrassing,” said a female delegate.

Speaking on condition one of the delegates who supported Venson-Moitoi said that Khama and Guma could have realised that Venson-Moitoi was going to lose hence they performed disappearance act on her.

Asked why she didn’t jump ship and join the other camp, the lady who refused to identify herself said that it will be cruel on her to leave the NJ camp.

“Look at the state of our candidate and leaving her could make things worse for her.  So I am here to give her moral support,” she said.

It is not the first time that Khama’s support for Venson-Moitoi has been questioned; that was the case in 2017 when Venson-Moitoi was running for African Union (AU) Chairperson position.

Khama was elected as a delegate by the Serowe West region and was expected to cast a vote in favour of Venson-Moitoi as he had indicated that she is the right person to lead the country.

Asked where Khama was during the press briefing in Kang, Venson-Moitoi informed the media that he is Mosu.

“He is in Mosu and Samson Moyo Guma is in Johannesburg,” she said with a face full of rage and hopelessness.

Venson-Moitoi who was left alone at the last minute displayed a dejected face and said she doesn’t know why former President Khama chose to go to Mosu instead of attending the congress.

Khama had visited Kang on Tuesday and had lunch with elders; something viewed as a way of campaigning for Venson-Moitoi ahead of the congress.

Venson-Moitoi has been hailed for gallant fight by none other than her presidential rival, Mokgweetsi Masisi who told an excited BDP congress that he would be going to see her to congratulate her for running a good race. Masisi said he would be working on uniting the party.

President Masisi urged democrats to work together in advancing the aspirations of the party.