Trouble rocks BDP's Selibe-Phikwe West constituency
Selibe-Phikwe West has not been spared as infighting continues to rock the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) in some of its constituencies ahead of the highly-anticipated primary elections.
Trouble is brewing within the BDP in Selibe-Phikwe West with democrats accusing the party leadership of favouring one of the candidates even though he should have been vetted out.
According to insiders, the party is polarised. BDP members argue that the candidate, Opelo Makhandlela should have been vetted out at the time when the party indicated that candidates with shady characteristics and criminal records, under investigations or implicated in any offence should be vetted out. Makhandlela is expected to go head-to-head with Assistant Minister of Trade and Industry Beauty Manake. After its first vetting the central committee tasked the branch committees to look into candidates with such attributes.
Information reaching this publication is that Makhandlela who has had a fair share of bad publicity years back while at the Ministry of Education, finds himself faced with new challenges as democrats are now digging out skeletons out of his closet and want him out. While Makhadlela allegedly enjoys the protection of the leadership, he is said to have fallen out with President Mokgweetsi Masisi long ago at the time he was with the education ministry.
Close sources revealed that Makhandlela has on numerous occasions indicated that he is not a wanted man and that he was one of the targets through the letter that requested for candidates to avail their fingerprints certificate. It is alleged that the branch leadership has a soft spot for Makhandlela and has done everything to protect him, but the man dismissed these claims, stating the two structures are not protecting him. “The branch committee and the central committee are for all of us. So, whom did they want the central committee to favour? I do not want to dwell on that propaganda,” Makhandlela said. Makhandlela contested for the Constituency in 2014 and lost to current MP Dithapelo Keorapetse. In 2019 he pulled out of the race for Bulela-Ditswe through compromise.
News on the ground purport that the youthful Manake has become the favourite of the democrats in the constituency due to her community work in the area. Democrats are said to be unhappy that with such a reputation, the branch has turned a blind eye. According to sources, among some of the issues raised is an incident of poaching in 2023 which they suggest Makhandlela is implicated through his butchery - Meriting and Sandy’s Butchery based in Selibe-Phikwe, however, Makhandlela has denied ever being involved in poaching.
It is alleged that Makhandlela on around 31st August 2023 bought three Zebras which were poached. It is also alleged that a driver from the butchery in a company of two others (all names withheld) were arrested for possession of game meat (giraffe) on the 3rd of September 2023 whereupon questioning they implicated Makhandlela on grounds that he is the one who sent them to collect the meat. Selibe-Phikwe Police Station Commander Superintendent Goitsemang Sekgabo could not be reached for comment at press time as he was said to be having a lecture.
The station commander had on the previous day indicated that he is not sure about the status of the alleged poaching case because as per the stipulated dates he was based in Moshupa. 'I will have to track it down for you and get proper information to share with you,' he said on Tuesday this week. Contacted for comment, Makhandlela said there is no truth in all the claims alluded to, adding that he has been exonerated from the alleged incident of poaching. According to Makhandlela, he sells game meat but has never undertaken poaching even in his farm.
“I know the people who are spreading such rumours. We are only two in this race for Parliament. As I talk to you I am busy working the ground and will win. We are comfortable with that negative attitude. “I have been here since 2013 and worked the ground and it is fertile. I will win and continue to win general elections. I know they wanted to convince the central committee to vet me out but unfortunately, they did not have any evidence produced,” he said.
It is yet to be seen if the central committee will act on the matter, which according to sources is one of those to be discussed during a central committee meeting which was scheduled for yesterday (Thursday). The party is expected to release the list of the approved candidates following the vetting done after candidates were made to provide the fingerprints for clearance. The party is also expected to announce the date for Bulela-Ditswe which has kept everyone guessing.
BDP Selibe-Phikwe West Branch Chairperson, Lorato Sedimo could not be reached for comment as his phone rang unanswered after he had promised to return the call as he was in a meeting and did not respond to the message sent to him. BDP Secretary General, Kavis Kario told this publication that Makhandlela was allowed by the Central Committee to contest as a candidate in Selebi Phikwe West as per his application. He stated that the Central Committee is not aware of any of the claims and accusations that “you purport to have been levelled against him.”
“To this end, Mr. Makhandlela remains an approved candidate for Bulela Ditswe. It is therefore not true that he is being allowed to contest for fear of divisions in the constituency. “If any new information that has a bearing on any approved candidate’s candidature is brought forward, then the Central Committee will assess the veracity of such information and take appropriate action,” Kario said.
The Secretary General explained that the core objective of the BDP is to have candidates who are complaint with all applicable statutory instruments and therefore acceptable to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) at nomination time and as well as the voting public in general.