BAKANG TIRO
Aggrieved Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) councillors in Molepolole South constituency have resolved to take area Member of Parliament Kabo Morwaeng head on to clarify issues following a series of kgotla meetings addressed by the latter in their wards, excluding them.
Starting February, when Parliament Budget session starts, the Councillors have resolved to launch a series of meetings in their wards to rebut allegations that their non-attendance of kgotla meetings convened by Morwaeng are deliberate acts of sabotage. Morwaeng will be busy with Parliament business, which is critical for the constituency developments.
In an interview on Friday, Lephaleng ward councillor Gontlafetse Mokgosi said councillors are normally informed about the MP’s planned kgotla meetings in their wards through an official communication extended to them. He noted that dikgosi and Village Development Committee (VDC) offices were formally invited with letters while the councillors heard of the meetings from third parties a night before meetings.
“I attended the meeting because I was included in the programme but that doesn’t change the fact that I was not invited in a proper way. There will always be differences between party members more so that primary elections are approaching but what is important is to maintain unity to avoid factions,” lamented Mokgosi.
Efforts to contact Morwaeng were futile as he didn’t answer calls into his mobile phone and did not respond to WhatsApp enquiries. Morwaeng addressed a number of kgotla meetings in six (6) wards including Lephaleng, Ntloedibe, Lekgwapheng, Bonewamang, Loologa and Mokgopoetsane without inviting councilors of those wards.
Bulela Ditswe
Information turned up by The Patriot on Sunday is that BDP in Molepolole South is headed for a split ahead of the much-anticipated Bulela Ditswe, with sources intimating that Morwaeng is sideling councillors believed to be in alliance with his potential Bulela Ditswe challenger- Jeffrey Sibisibi, the former Chairman of Kweneng District Council.
With the current unfolding developments, councillors are accusing Morwaeng of being a divisive figure, adding that his actions amount to a political sabotage as the race for Bulela Ditswe is gathering pace. Many ascribe the sidelining of councillors to growing factions within the party in the constituency with battle lines drawn between Morwaeng and former Kweneng District Council (KwDC) chairman Sibisibi.
Although he has refused many times to answer questions about his political ambitions, it is an open secret within Molepolole South that Sibisibi will face Morwaeng in Bulela Ditswe in the constituency.
In an interview on Thursday, councillor for Sebele ward Poloko Motlhobogwa said Morwaeng is on a mission to decampaign them in favor of his close allies that he is canvassing votes for in Bulela Ditswe. “His actions are divisive and put the party into unnecessary factions by undermining us. We are not expecting this kind of conduct from him as our constituency leader. He doesn’t believe in consulting us because we always being accused of supporting Sibisibi over him,” said disappointed Motlhobogwa. In the past, councillors had a feud with Morwaeng accusing him of convening meetings regarding constituency development at his private residence, with councillors reading intimidation on that. Nonetheless, Morwaeng at a time emphasized that he chooses where he finds it to be convenient to consult the councillors on the constituency official business, accusing some for being uncooperative.