The ruling Botswana Democratic Party has lost one councillor in the Kweneng South East constituency.
Kabelo Mokgalajwe, councillor for Gaphatshwa Ward, apparently submitted his membership card to the Branch Chairperson of the party on 14th August, 2012.
“All I know is that I have long ceased to be a BDP member, having written my resignation letter from the party on the 14th of this month,” Mokgalajwe told The Sunday Standard in an interview.
His resignation follows after BDP Secretary General Mpho Balopi’s warning when he called him to his office and told Mokgalajwe that they no longer wanted him in their party.
Mokgalajwe said the BDP did not want him because “the party is not for the people”, adding that the motto ‘people first’ does not exist in the BDP vocabulary.
“If you keep on advocating for the welfare of the masses and criticizing when the party is unfair, the chances are you would not have a place in the BDP. The party is for certain people that is why you will work hard to help the party win a constituency only to be troubled later by the people you do not know where they come from,” Mokgalajwe said. “They come and dictate terms for you while they get high positions through favouritism as they are related to the party’s elite.”
The recollection of his assault by the police, allegedly influenced by BDP, made him raise his voice and narrate some sensitive subjects.
Born and bred in Morope, which is part of his ward situated in the outskirts of Mogoditshane, Mokgalajwe said he was assaulted by the Police and Land Board officers in 2010 at the time when they were forcefully evicting squatters there.
“I just passed by one of the plots that were targeted for eviction. I saw a man marking a cross and I went closer to see what he was doing. He asked me whether I was the owner of the plot. I asked him if he would cancel the mark if I said yes. His response was to send a signal to a group of people among them police. The next thing I was in the middle of assaulters. They even strangled me with my scarf. I was rescued by Morope people who told the assaulters that I belonged to another side of the street and the plot was not mine. I guess this contributed in my winning the ward,” he narrated. The case never reached court of law though he asked for assistance from University law clinic and even Ditshwanelo Center for Human Rights.
Another assault on the councillor took place around the fourth or fifth of February this year. He said he had a deal with an Indian guy who was originally his friend up until he tried to con him. He said the Indian sold him a Prado with faulty gear box.
He, Mokgalajwe, returned it to the Dealer to get it fixed. While he was waiting for the car, Mokgalajwe said he was tipped by the Indian’s employees that the Prado would soon be sold. He rushed there and took the vehicle’s blue book and the keys.
Mokgalajwe said that days passed without trouble, until February.
“On that fateful day, I was called to the Criminal Investigation Department office where a video showing me insulting the man was shown. The causes of my action were analysed and it was discovered that indeed the vehicle belonged to me. The Indian also testified to that effect. But when he left the office, I was told to stay on as the police had more to discuss with me. They demanded that I surrender the keys. I refused doing so without proof of why I had to. This called for my torture. The men handcuffed me. In fact, they cuffed both my hands and feet. They said I was horrible and not honourable. I was dragging the government’s name in the mud. I was a spoilt A-Team boy,” said the dreadlocked Mokgalajwe.
He said he had been called away in the morning, forcing him to leave a full council sitting, only to be returned in the late afternoon – thoroughly beaten and with some of his dreadlocks pulled out.
This case, he said, has contributed in Balopi’s action. According to Mokgalajwe, Balopi told him to drop the case as he had not suffered any physical harm and allegedly added that if Mokgalajwe did not drop the case, then he should forget about the 2014 elections.
Mokgalajwe claims Balopi insisted that taking the case further was dragging the government’s name in the mud. But Mokgalajwe says that he is not going to give up as he wants justice to prevail.
“We do not join the BDP because we love it but rather because we fear it. We feel things might not go well for us should we belong to any other party. People do not vote for this party because they love it but because of fear. They feel the worst would happen should the party be removed from power,” said Mokgalajwe.
He added that the BDP factions are also at play in his political life’s demise. He is seen as a threat to the former Chairperson of the Thamaga-Mogoditshane Sub District, Patrick Manthe. It is assumed that the constituency might be divided so he is one of those who expressed a desire to contest for the parliamentary seat against Manthe.
Mokgalajwe also claims that had it not been for the backstabbing by his fellow democrats, he could be the incumbent chairperson of the Thamaga/Mogoditshane Sub District.
Contacted for comment, Mpho Balopi said the issue of the councillor’s resignation has not yet been concluded. He said that he could, therefore, not comment on anything, including the accusations directed at him.
“I am not in a position to authenticate anything concerning that councillor’s resignation. We have procedures that we follow in addressing issues,” he said.
The party’s branch chairperson could not be reached as his mobile was off air.
Meanwhile Mokgalajwe is still undecided on his next political home, saying that if Umbrella was alive and kicking that would where he would belong.
He added that he will never return to the BDP.
