The ruling Botswana Democratic Party has moved swiftly to replace central committee members who resigned from the party last week. An ad hoc central committee meeting on Monday has co-opted five members into the central committee.
Deputy Secretary General, Wynter Mmolotsi, and additional members Guma Moyo and Kabo Morwaeng, who are aligned to the barata-phathi faction of the BDP, threw the party into disarray on Thursday when they tendered in their resignations from the party’s central committee.
By Monday, it was business as usual when a BDP central committee meeting met to elect their replacements and continue with the party business. Lobatse Deputy Mayor, Malebogo Kruger, replaces Mmolotsi while Tidimalo Mathose, Florence Westhuizen, Sylvia Muzila and Moeng Pheto were roped in as ordinary members.
“This follows the resignation of three central committee members last week,” read a communiqu├® from Tsholetsa House.
While the three did not give the reasons from their resignations, it is widely believed that they were protesting against the election of Thato Kwerepe as the new secretary general as they preferred Mmolotsi, who had hitherto been acting secretary general.
They also felt that Kwerepe’s election was unprocedural as it was done before deposed Secretary General Gomolemo Motswaledi’s transfer window had elapsed.
Other central committee members Guma Moyo and Vincent Seretse, who many believe would have voted for Mmolotsi were also not present at the meeting.
Many also believe that the trio’s resignation stems from the barata phathi’s long standing tiff with President Seretse Khama Ian Khama who moved swiftly to sideline the new central committee and nullify the barata phathi win at the Kanye congress.
