BMD leadership at it again

Trouble is far from over at the ailing Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) as party leadership and the youth committee members continue to air their dirty laundry in the public.

Last week the Youth Committee which was elected at the 2015 Mochudi congress took a dramatic decision to postpone the elective congress that was supposed to be held this past weekend. But the other faction led by former University of Botswana (UB) Student Representative Council President (SRC), Jacob Kelebeng did not take kindly to the postponement and went ahead to hold the congress.

The congress was attended by the party President, Ndaba Gaolathe and his Vice, Wynter Mmolotsi; Botswana Federation of Public Sector Unions (BOFEPUSU) leadership and Phenyo Segokgo, the BMDYL President who handing over the baton.

This week, party Chairman Nehemiah Modubule, Secretary General Gilbert Mangole and Policy Director Dr Tlamelo Mmatli flanked by Kagelelo Kentse and Tolerance Itumeleng, said the congress was ‘illegal and merely a meeting of friends entertaining themselves.’

Modubule expressed deep disappointment that Gaolathe was part of the congress even though a decision was taken by the motherbody that the congress be postponed because of some reasons advanced by the BMDYL committee.

“I no longer have confidence in Ndaba. I have lost it. We are very much disappointed by the leadership particularly the President, his Vice Wynter Mmolotsi, BMDYL President Phenyo Segokgo and Women’s league President, Joyce Mothudi who were part of that factional gathering. That was an illegal gathering and it was unconstitutional. The President has crossed the redline,” said the emotionally-charged Modubule.

He warned that the party will take stern action against those who attended the meeting.  “There was no congress in Ramotswa. The party is still to organise a congress of the youth league, not a factional congress. It is unfortunate that the President has the audacity to say it in the general public that constitution has the interest of certain individuals.

“This is not the first time that the President has instigated other members to not follow the constitution and do something that serves the interests of certain individuals,” said Modubule.

Meanwhile, Kelebeng maintains that despite what has been said by Modubule, he remains the newly-elected leader of the Youth League. “We will not listen to those two individuals because they are not representing the masses. Our congress was constitutional. There is nothing that Modubule and Mangole can do. If they want to seek remedy they should go to court but not to cry in front of media,” said Kelebeng, adding that he will attend the NEC meeting on the 6th of May which Modubule said will decide on the congress.

According to Kelebeng, the meeting of the committee that postponed the congress was unconstitutional. “Everything was prepared for this congress and people had accommodation, they ate and they had transport even though one of the reasons of postponent was that there were no resources in the party,” said Kelebeng.

“Let Modubule and Mangole do whatever they want to do but we will not listen to them,” said Kelebeng. Efforts to contact Ndaba were futile as his mobile rang unanswered.