Botswana Congress Party (BCP) Central Committee has opened investigations into the alleged misconduct of party councilors in the North West District Council (NWDC) after attending a meeting summoned by the President of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) last week.
This comes after party leadership instructed councilors not to meet UDC President Duma Boko without party approval.
BCP Publicity Secretary Dr Mpho Pheko told this publication that they are expecting to get a briefing from party structures within the region on what transpired over the weekend of their meeting with Boko. She added that it will however be amiss and not procedural for a section of the UDC National Executive Committee (NEC) to meet regional councilors without consultation with local party leadership.
“At the BCP, the ward and constituency committees are the party leadership at ward and constituency levels respectively. Investigations are still ongoing and we are expecting to get a briefing from these structures on what transpired over the weekend of 11 June 2022. It will however be amiss and not procedural for a section of the UDC NEC to meet regional councilors without consultation with local party leadership,” she said.
She stated that any organization such as political party is governed by rules and regulations as would normally be provided for in its founding document (the constitution).
She highlighted that the constitution defines all decisions making structures of the party and the rights and responsibilities of members adding that members of the party are expected to know and abide by all decisions of other leadership structures empowered to make them in between national conferences.
“All members that are perceived to be going against such decisions will being counseled; failing which, appropriate disciplinary structures will act as required,” stated Pheko.
On the other hand, NWDC chief whip and also BCP Councilor for Boseja South Itumeleng Kelebetseng said they are not aware of a party decision that barred them from meeting Boko.
Kelebetseng said the meeting came as a result of a proposal made by councilors to engage UDC NEC to iron out issues.
“We did not receive any communication barring councilors from meeting UDC President Duma Boko and I can confidently say this because apart from being the chief whip in the council I also serve as the national caucus chairman of the BCP and by virtue of that I sit in the central committee,” said Kelebetseng.
He said they long requested the UDC NEC to address NWDC adding that unfortunately some of the NEC members could not avail them but Boko came through.
“UDC President Duma Boko came through. We engaged him about our issues and he promised to take all the concerns to the NEC. Mind you we informed him that we were not satisfied because we felt that all NEC members could have been present,” added Kelebetseng.
He further said they are expecting the UDC NEC to engage them before end of this year adding that Boko promised to ensure that all issues are ironed after conferences of UDC contracting partners which scheduled for next month.
