Inside BDP’s dirty recruitment tricks

 

Not for the first time, the Botswana Democratic Party’s reckless recruitment desperation has once again been captured on tape and this time around the actors are Francistown’s Raoboy Mpuang, Ditiro Majadibodu and the targeted recruit, BCP’s former Botsalano Ward council candidate, Barulaganye Mooketsi, known as Baka.

Notably, in the new audio recording, passed on to this publication, a glimpse into BDP’s recruitment modus operandi comes to surface; this time it is less on, ‘bo asa boa pele,’ denoting economic attraction, but is simply a factionally based gossip mongering, accentuating the party’s internal bickerings. Both the recruiters are open that they ‘represent’ or at minimum belong to the Vice President, Mokgweetsi Masisi’s faction. Francistown West MP, Ignatious Moswaane comes out as a major nemenies, whom the recruit is advised to stay away from.

“Moswaane o lelela golo mo go sa berekeng,” says Mpuang who also warns that, “Letsatsi le o tlang ko BDP, boMma Sengalo le Moswaane ba tla batla gore ba baakanyetse your arrival. Ba go batlela gore enne bone ba ba go dirisang. Ba tla go dirisa ba bo ba filda batho wena bago dampa. Before Moswaane sabotages you, o tshwanetse go tshwaragana le rona le bo Lotty (Manyapetsa),” who is also according to Mpuang, Masisi’s foot-soldier. Mpuang also reveals in the tape that Moswaane supports Nonofo Molefhi in the presidential race and that Moswaane and Masisi do not see eye to eye. As if tutoring Baka on cronyism, Mpuang emphasises, “What is important is for Masisi to know you. Who does not want to be close to the president? Mongwe le mongwe o batla go nna close to the president.”

Majadibodu agrees, “Then when he (Masisi) thinks about Aerodrome, he thinks about you as well because that is his late brother’s ward.” Later in the tape however, he warns Baka to avoid Moswaane because he will have much to lose when the axe is wielded against Moswaane (Fa selepe se lela). Aerodrome is a small township in the Botsalano ward.

Other local politicians and office hopefuls are mentioned by names, indicating a region in total disarray. Mpuang, who is the suspended BDP’s secretary for the region is heard explaining to Baka how he had already assembled his own council candidates for the 2019 general election throughout the constituency. For example, Mpuang, who intents to challenge Moswaane in the next party primary election, is not certain whether Ontiretse ‘Nthinthi’ Bakaile is in his or Moswaane’s faction. Some of Mpuang’s preferred candidates are Ndove, Mma Fanuel, Lesego Mpayang for Moselewapula, Kanana and Tatitown respectively.

He makes it clear in the tape that he has no faith in the likes of Cornelius Gopolang (Kanana ward), Benifield (Botsalano ward) Lechedzani Modenga (Moselewapula ward) and Gaethusi Ramolotsana (Tatitown ward). All the four are sitting councillors.Leading them on, the BCP targeted recruit now turned a mule, asks for information about one of the community leaders in the form of Gerald Estate Chief, Paul Motshwane, whether he will be seeking a parliamentary seat. They both admit to have heard the rumours but are not certain although they could not avoid casting aspersion on his credentials as a politician.

Majadibodu, whose recruitment to BDP was under similar circumstances suggests that Motshwane’s tradional role is of no use in town.“Unlike out in the village, he is not a factor at all,” The economic factor, also known as, Boasa bo a pele, a phrase associated with the party’s Secretary General, Botsalo Ntuane, is not, however, wholesomely avoided as Baka is urged to know where his bread is buttered. First he is assured that if he jumps in he will be granted the opportunity to be elected to the council. To convince him, the name of Bagalatia Arone, the recent BDP catch, is thown in.

“Arone remains the strongest contender in the constituency,” said Majadibodu apparently to assure Baka that, even if he defected to the BDP, he will still have the right to contest the election in 2019. “You should not be surprised if Mbaha does not contest to give way to Arone,” said Mpuang who describes Mbaha as one of Masisi’s boys. Although at the beginning of the tape, the two BDP foot-soldiers denied that the BDP bribed people to join them, Mpuang is heard saying that Mbaha may be prevailed upon not to contest but to support Arone.

“Fa ba mo tshwarisa sengwe se se substantial ba re tshwara jaana a bo a sa eme.” It is also suggested in the tape that, the BDP might use the special election dispensation with Mbaha being appointed to council leaving only Arone to contest. In the audio conversation which keeps going back and forth, Majadibodu makes an impassioned plea to Baka not to miss the gravy train. “It’s all about your life now at the end of the day. Leba gore fa o tsenang teng is there a better life,” advises Majadibodu. Chips in Mpuang, “Nna ke motho wa ga Sisboy, you see. If you join, you should know that, we are in the ruling faction.”

Majadibodu, who reveals that he is contesting the Nata-Gweta primary elections also makes it clear that he belongs to the Masisi faction. Talking about the sitting MP, Paulson Majaha, this is what Majadibodu says, “He doesn’t stand a chance. What with all the blunders as well? When he saw me at the Goodhope rally, he fled,” says Majadibodu referring to the rally where he was officially welcomed into the BDP after leaving the BCP a few months back. The welcoming was done at a rally in the Goodhope-Mabule constituency during the campaign for the constituency by-election. Mpuang is heard appealing to Baka in the recording to join the BDP while he (Mpuang) was still the secretary of the region.

Mpuang could not be reached as his phone was off-air by press time. When contacted for comment, Ditiro Majadibodu insisted that he never had any formal meeting with Baka. “I know him because he is my former comrade. Like everyone else I meet, who is not a BDP member, I talked to him about the BDP. However, I have never had any formal meeting with him. But again, it would be unfortunate that somebody would have recorded my discussion with him,” said Majadibodu wondering what the motive for recording could have been. Despite the denial, indications are that Mpuang and Majadibodu picked Baka from Aerodrome in the afternoon of Saturday 18th June.

“When they called to confirm the appointment, I was with one of the party elders, Kays Phitshana with whom I had discussed how I should deal with the incessant overtures on me by the BDP. I however went to meet them in the street where they insisted we drive out of town and far from the public glare. We went as far as the old international airport before I was seized by the fear of being out there alone with these BDP activists,” revealed Baka in an interview. Baka further confirmed that he is the one who recorded the conversation.