Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) Youth lobby led by Rodger Mphafe have written a letter yet to be submitted to the Party National Executive Committee (NEC) demanding that the party suspend MP for Molepolole South Dr Tlamelo Mmatli pending investigations.
Sunday Standard intercepted a letter that detailed how Dr Mmatli used his position to intimidate one party activist who is in Mphafe’s lobby.
The letter titled “recommendation of suspension pending investigation” reads, “This letter serves to recommend suspension pending investigation for Honourable Dr Tlamelo Mmatli. Dr Tlamelo Mmatli is member of the BMD NEC and BMD working committee on his capacity as national policy director.”
According to the letter the recommendation comes in the back of events that unfolded on 18/03/15 at the Molepolole MP Constituency office.
“Dr Mmatli called a party activist and intimidated him, using his position in the party, and warned him against supporting a youth league lobby group of his choice. Dr Mmatli ordered the said activist to go back and reverse all the gains of the campaign he has made in favour of his preferred choice of candidates,” the letter reads.
Mphafe’s lobby is of the view that Mmatli’s conduct was improper and contradictory to the organisation’s culture and procedure.
“It amounts to misconduct befitting a suspension to allow the party to investigate the said incident and take a proper action. Failure to suspend Dr Mmatli will enable him to continue intimidating more activists, hence interfering with the youth league congress which is tantamount to abuse of power and position privilege vested on him by the party.”
Mphafe’s lobby said it is unfortunate that the incident comes shortly after the leadership forum where it was made clear by the leadership that campaigns must be clean with no interference from party elders or members of the NEC.
“We will be waiting to hear from the NEC on which action has been taken on this matter, failure to do so we will have no choice but to explore other avenues of addressing the matter to protect the integrity and good image of the party” the letter reads.
Recently BMD secretary general Gilbert Mangole told a Press Conference that party elders are abstaining from the youth programs. He said they do not want a situation where elders will be accused of interfering with youth programs, at the same time the party is working hard to guard against the name of the party being drug on the mud by the youth. Mangole said they called the youth from both lobbies to address them after realising that they dragged the party name through the mud. “We said to them enough is enough. We encouraged change in the way they address issues especially on social media.” Reached for comment Mphafe requested to know the sources of the news and directed this publication to the secretary general of the lobby, Joyce Pheto who denied knowledge of the matter. “We have never heard of such maybe it is any issue that is still developing,” The youth congress is scheduled for 1 May in Mochudi.
