Biggie Butale’s position as president of the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) is growing increasingly tenuous.
Butale confirmed to the Sunday Standard this week that he was aware of reports of a plot to oust him, but would not be drawn into discussing details.
Butale’s fate as BFP president is expected to be discussed tomorrow (Monday) at a party National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.
Sunday Standard has turned up details of how BPF leadership has been grappling with attempts to put under the carpet damaging details that involve both the party and the leader.
In a missive to NEC members, Tshekedi Khama, believed to be next in line for the BPF presidency states that, “there are some pressing issues and important once at that, can you please make efforts to attend the NEC meeting.”
Tshekedi Khama confirmed the meeting but would not disclose the nature of the “pressing issues.”
“Let us have the meeting first, let’s see what is on the agenda then we can comment”, he said.
Pressed further, Khama said “The agenda is still to be put forward and then adopted. So, until we have adopted the agenda and whatever is on the agenda I can’t comment because it has not been adopted and I haven’t had sight of it, but I know it will be ready when I come back. I’m outside the country now.”
BPF is said to be in receipt of a letter that levels strong allegations of sexual assault against the BPF president.
There is also a tape of a conversation between Butale and a young woman.
With three Members of Parliament, BPF is the second biggest official opposition party in parliament after Botswana Congress Party.
Some of the issues rattling BPF include allegations made by a young woman, who is a member of the BPF youth cell at BUAN.
Apparently the young woman visited Butale’s home on 3rd April just before the 8 o’clock curfew.
The BPF spokesperson Lawrence Ookeditse was also cagey on the details of NEC meeting scheduled on Monday, when asked.
“I can confirm that we have our monthly NEC meeting on Monday. I cannot go into specific agenda items. I am not aware of any push to remove Butale from the party presidency though, may be if I get to know who the symphathizer behind the story is I’d rather be in a position to have a chat with them and understand what the problem really is. But no, there is no plot to remove Butale,” said Ookeditse.
