Butale guns for state presidency
Expelled Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) President, Biggie Butale says the party will contest the Presidency of the country during next year’s general election scheduled for 2024.
He said the party is poised to contest for elections in the year, save for the chaos that is being instigated by some members of the National Executive Committee (NEC).
"I am therefore not surprised that there exists a small set of power-hungry individuals within the party, who seek to invoke unlawful means to steal my Presidency of the BPF," said Butale in his court papers, where he challenges his expulsion from the party.
BPF is currently a member of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) which is led by Advocate Duma Boko. The party is expected to contest under the UDC banner in the coming general election. Butale has taken NEC members,
BPF Information and Publicity Secretary Lawrence Ookeditse, party Secretary General Tshekedi Khama, Disciplinary Committee Secretary Barulaganye Letang, Secretary for Health Dr. Malefho Kolaatamo and Vice President Mephato Reatile to court seeking reversal of a decision to expel him from the party.
The NEC expelled Butale recently following a recommendation from the Disciplinary Committee. Butale dragged them to court seeking for staying of the suspension and subsequent expulsion; that he remains recognised as the president; and inclusive of substitution of imprisonment, or adding to the order of imprisonment the respondents be given an imprisonment of 60 days or a fine of P50 000 each.
This week, Gaborone High Court Judge, Dr. Zein Kebonang postponed the case to 31st July 2023 for arguments in order to allow the parties to file court documents.
Butale in his founding affidavit filed with the court stated that in the events leading up to the order of Justice Matlhogonolo Phuthego, there was a purported NEC meeting that proceeded after he had adjourned the meeting, and in the said meeting the proceedings noted him as no longer being a member of the party nor its president. He said such decisions were set aside by the court.
“In short, the scheme here was to convene an NEC meeting without my involvement and then purport to delegitimize my authority and position within the BPF. Just six weeks or so later from the order, being 5th June 2023, a NEC meeting was convened by the 4th Respondent (Dr Malefho) who has no authority to do so in which the 5th Respondent (Reatile) purported to chair the meeting in my absence. I did not call this meeting nor did I authorise for it to take place,” avers Butale.
He said this marks the second occasion where the scheme to convene a NEC meeting without his involvement and then purport to delegitimize his authority and position within the BPF is implemented. He said it seems the respondents’ hunger for power cannot even wait for the judgement of September this year by Justice Motlhabi. "This is because once again, the Respondents herein purport to have secured a suspension against me, this time through a fake correspondence of the Disciplinary Committee and thereafter proceeding to attempt to hold an NEC meeting without my involvement," argued Butale.
He stated that the stratagem of the Respondents cannot go unsanctioned, adding that their actions are a spit in the face of a court order. He said Ookeditse on 9th July issued a notice to media houses which purported to inform the public of his suspension. "I was extremely infuriated by this act, and the point at which it has blatant disregard of the BPF Constitution, as well as the order of court issued by Judge Phuthego," said Butale.
He avers that on the same day he centered himself, and proceeded to note the problematic individuals within the executive structure and thus proceeded to execute emergency suspensions against the pending confirmation by congress. According to Butale, the Respondents are lawless and have complete disregard to the court’s orders and authority.
“I strongly maintain that the Respondents, did not feel any deterrence from pending litigation in which a 30 days imprisonment is being sort for their contempt and I therefore seek a harsher term of 60 days on this application,” said Butale with regards to contempt of court order.