A Central Committee special meeting of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party has retained Kentse Rammidi on the party’s compromise lobby list ahead of the BDP’s congress in two weeks time.
Information passed to The Telegraph indicates that President Ian Khama insisted that Rammidi should not be dropped.
This was despite a strong lobby from the A-Team faction which had tried to influence Khama by alleging ill-discipline on Rammidi.
When the party leadership met on Monday to review and finalise the compromise list, calls were also made to drop Boikhutso Masunga on grounds that her husband is a senior member of the Botswana Movement for Democracy.
President Khama is again said to have come to the rescue, saying he saw nothing wrong with husband and wife belonging to different political parties.
Ultimately, Ms Masunga was retained.
A lobby against Rammidi, spearheaded by key central committee members, has been pushing for Rammidi’ to be scrapped from the list of those aspiring for the BDP leadership.
Rammidi has become an unpopular figure within the ruling party after resigning from cabinet and openly declaring that he would contest for the position of secretary general.
His statements during the public sector strike have earned him more enemies than friends within the ruling party’s top echelons. In seeking to disqualify him from occupying the secretary general’s position, many have thrown in the name of businessman Lesang Magang as the ideal candidate for the secretary general’s position.
However, as a sign of what some say is a sign of softening up to criticism, President Khama on Monday prevailed over the hawks.
BDP’s executive secretary, Dr Batlang Serema, confirmed the meeting but refused to shed light on what transpired.
Serema refused to confirm or deny reports that the central committee had retained Rammidi and Nshakazhogwe-Masunga.
“We cannot confirm or deny,” adding that the issue is still an internal party matter.
“The central committee has to sell the list to the structures so am not at liberty to comment,” said Serema.
The BDP central committee will be opened on the 8th of July and will last for two days. The compromise list that members will discuss includes Daniel Kwelagobe as chairman, Rammidi as general secretary, and Satar Dada as treasurer.
Others on the list are Malebogo Kruger, Len Lekwapa, Seloma Tiro, Dorcus Kgositsile and Mpho Balopi.
