20 Jul 2016

Botswana Peoples Party (BPP) wrapped its two-day delegates’ congress on July 17 in Tati Siding with controversy marring election of the executive committee.

The process resulted in Mr Motlatsi Molapisi retaining his position as party leader, Mr Mbaakanyi Lenyatso as his deputy while Mr Richard Gudu was elected as the chairperson in absentia.

Members of the media were invited to witness the election process but were told to wait outside the voting hall until further notice, only to be invited in later when the election process was over.

While Mr Molapisi was delivering his acceptance speech, some delegates were singing outside the hall to register their displeasure on how the elections were conducted.

According to one of the delegates, who preferred anonymity for fear of victimisation, the elections were unfairly conducted leading to those who wanted to contest some of the positions pulling out at the eleventh hour.

She claimed that the consonance of the congress was that the elections be postponed to a later date in order to iron out some issues surrounding the election process, but Mr Molapisi insisted that the elections be conducted.

The anonymous delegate said this favoured some candidates such as those of the secretary general and the vice president as those who wanted to contest pulled out of the race.

Mr Peter Kutchwe said in an interview that he pulled out of the race for the position of the secretary general for reasons he could not divulge to the media.

Another candidate, Mr Shathiso Tambula absconded after showing an interest in contesting the position of the vice president, he however declined to offer an interview.

In his acceptance speech, Mr Molapisi indicated that those who absconded only did so for the elections but still remained members of the BPP.

He urged the delegates to continue recruiting new members and to help prepare for the youth congress.

Other members of the executive are Mr Botho Seboko in the position of the secretary general, Mr Otlaadisa Otlaadisa as the deputy secretary general, Mr Tonkomani Dan as the treasurer and Mr Thabani Peter as the publicity secretary. ENDS