Serowe BDP meeting: 29 face suspension

Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) Serowe West has recommended that the Central Committee suspend 29 party members over alleged misconduct, chief among them for their involvement in an unsanctioned meeting at Lady Khama Centre thus violating the party constitution.

In a  letter authored by the branch chairman for Serowe West Steady Sethaba to the party’s Secretary General, he revealed that the meeting was held in contravention of the party constitution as it was not called by an established organ of the party as such it was illegitimate per article 43.5 of the party constitution.

“Furthermore, the meeting was held in the Serowe West constituency without any involvement or consent of the Serowe West branch committee, it being their area of jurisdiction,” states the letter.

He called on the party leadership to institute disciplinary action against members who participated in the meeting as they contravened article 14.1 and 2 of the party Constitution read with the general code of conduct.

Sethaba, who was a close associate of former President Ian Khama having served as his constituency administrator from 1998 until 2008, said the party leadership must address issue of unruly behaviour by some members in Serowe.

“Of late, there has been an emergence of unruly behaviour by some members of the Serowe constituencies which necessitates for appropriate remedial action before its get out of control. We therefore appeal for you for prompt action against these members,” reads the letter.

Facing the axe

Among those facing possible expulsion from the party include Moyo Guma with Sethaba surprisingly having excluded former President Khama and Venson-Moitoi from the list of people he wants action to be taken against. 

Samson Moyo Guma

Trouble seems to be following the MP for Tati East Samson Moyo Guma as this is the second time that a complaint has been raised against him. Last week Vice President Slumber Tsogwane wrote to the party secretary general complaining about him.

He was one of the speakers at the Lady Khama Centre where he called upon former President Ian Khama to come out of political retirement and help the country as it is sinking under the current administration led by President Mokgweetsi Masisi.

Should he be suspended from the party it will not be for the first as it happened in 2010 when he revolted against the leadership of the then President Ian Khama. He is one of the founders of the Botswana Movement for Democracy. He will later rejoin the BDP in 2012.

Lesego Raditanka

He is one of the longest serving councilors in the country having been a civic leader for more than 40 years and now faces possible expulsion from the party. He is one of the campaign managers for Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi who is challenging Masisi for the party presidency.

In an interview after the Lady Khama Centre Raditanka said he was not one of the organisers of the meeting. “I was just invited just like any other democrat and I attended the meeting,” he said.

Roseline Pansira Matshome

A specially elected councilor in Tlokweng, Matshome used to be a close associate of President Masisi before a fall out after he assumed office of presidency.

A former secretary for the BDP communications Committee, Matshome like Moyo Guma is one of the BDP members left the party to form BMD in 2010. She later retraced her steps and Khama appointed her into the communications committee. She is currently contesting for the deputy secretary position to deputise her political master Moyo Guma.