DC, Cllr clash over Council's operations

Kweneng District Commissioner, Dr Temba Mmusi this week clashed with councillor for Gabane North East Ofentse Mareme over the conduct of the Kweneng District Council (KDC) proceedings.

The outspoken Dr Mmusi called on the KDC to nullify Mareme’s remarks that the DC has no powers to dictate to the council what issues should be discussed. Dr Mmusi had in the previous council session demanded that the councillors should not discuss the People living with Disability Programme.

The councilllors had wanted to know exactly who is eligible for the allowance. Dr Mmusi stated that the councillors could not discuss the issue because they have to wait for guidelines that stipulate who is eligible for the allowance.

Mareme then took a swipe at Mmusi saying the DC cannot dictate to them what to discuss during council sessions. On Monday this week, Dr Mmusi returned the favour and called on the council chairman Jeffry Sibisibi to nullify the statement by the councillor. “That statement is misplaced. I am here to advise this council accordingly and I would not allow some people here to misdirect me.

There is a lot of education that has to be done in this house,”hit back Dr Mmusi. In an interview Mareme said, “The DC cannot tell us what to discuss when we are here. We are at liberty to discuss anything. I am even disappointed that instead of responding to questions by councilllors the DC decided to debate minutes of the previous council session.

He is here to answer questions and not to debate”  Another councillor who was against the DC statement, Arafat Khan of Borakalalo Ward in Molepolole North said ever since Dr Mmusi came to KDC from Chobe District Council in September this year, the council has been thrown into tantrums.

He said the DC acts like someone who has been deliberately deployed by the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) to destabilise the KDC.