Guma’s former ally accuses him of vote buying

Samson Moyo Guma’s former ally and former Tsamaya Councillor Reginald Mudongo has accused his former friend of intent to buy votes following the latter’s utterances that the government must repossess land owned by Tati Company. 

Modongo who was introduced to politics by Guma went on to become a surprise winner for Tsamaya ward during the 2009 general elections when he hammered the then incumbent Councillor Tod Maligeni before he was floored by the seating councillor Isaac Pelaelo in the 2014 general elections.

When the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) was formed, Guma and Modongo defected to the new party only for Guma to make a U-turn and return to BDP whilst his councillor remained at BMD until his recent defection to the Alliance for Progressives (AP). 

Producing some evidence in the form of past Council motions, Modongo disclosed that he once tabled a motion between the 22nd and 31st of January 2013 to have a record of all the land held under Tati company as well as requesting the responsible minister of lands by then to have a reconciliation of Tati Land concession of 1970 and the local Mines and Minerals Act of 1999 which he said were not compatible.

“When the said motion was adopted and passed on to the ministry, Guma never supported us despite that we were still members of the ruling BDP and it boggles my mind as to why all of a sudden he is clutching at straws and calling for the repossession of Tati company land,” the former councillor said. 

Modongo continued that Moyo who was born in a village forming part of Tati company land should have known better when he assumed his position as MP that people in his village including his mother have no grazing lands since all the adjacent land is under the ownership of Tati Company. 

He continued that calls by Guma to have Tati Company land repossessed by the state is a vote-buying gimmick by the MP who he accused of brainwashing people’s minds. 

When contacted for comment, a defiant Guma pointed out that as MP he does not have close contact with councils and councillors and as such he is not in any position to know of motions tabled and adopted by various councils save for parliamentary issues. 

“When I talk about land repossession, I am not referring to the illegal grabbing of land but an acquisition which is in line with the laid down laws on land acquisition. As far as I know, people of North East are desperately in need of land and in the event the state repossesses some land belonging to Tati- company, the same former councillor is also going to join in the celebrations and there is no act or intention on my part to buy votes, ” Guma said.