Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) chairman Nehemiah Modubule says Ndaba Gaolatlhe letter nullifying resolution the meeting of the 18th October in which former party member Sidney Pilane is nothing but his personal feelings.
He says BMD has a constitution and as such it must be followed to the letter.
“I have learnt about President Ndaba Gaolatlhe’s letter through newspapers. I can confirm that I received the letter late. At first I doubted that it was written by BMD President but now because it has been delivered to me I know that it was written by Gaolatlhe,” said Modubule.
Modubule is still shocked that the letter was first received by newspapers before it reached them.
“Anyway we will not say that is wrong because it is the route that Gaolatlhe chose as the party President,” said Modubule adding that what was contained in the letter is only how BMD President feels and it is not guided by the party’s constitution.
“The last NEC meeting was lawful and constitutional therefore nothing has changed until Gaolatlhe comes to us and explains his grievances. We are hoping that this time around he is not going to address us through newspapers. It must be noted that after the last NEC meeting, as the chairman of the party I wrote to Gaolatlhe to give him updates and how the meeting went,” Modubule explained.
He said, in his response, Gaolatlhe noted that it was important that they meet and they both agreed on the date, the date agreed upon was this past Sunday, (25 October 2015).
“When I was still expecting the meeting to convene, he called again to say we cannot meet because Vice President Wynter Mmolotsi would not be available on that day. He wanted the vice president to be present at the meeting and that is when we both agreed that we cannot hold the meeting this past Sunday because Mmolotsi is out of the country,” Modubule explained.
Modubule told this publication that BMD President was still to find a date for their meeting but to his surprise he learnt about Gaolatlhe letter through media.
“It is all over the media, the president is saying whatever he is saying. To me it is very unfortunate because we were still waiting to meet him. I do not know what he is basing his letter on because he never met me and he never met the party secretary general who was taking the minutes of the meeting. I am lost,” said Modubule.
As far as he is concerned Modubule said the meeting of October 18th and its resolutions still stand and nothing has changed.
He emphasized that the issue on whether Pilane should or should not join the BMD has never been the NEC matter.
“Pilane’s membership is authorised by the branch where he applied to join the party, that branch is Mochudi West, it has nothing to do with NEC,” concluded Modubule.
It is still to be seen how the BMD leadership will resolve the matter on whether or not to admit Pilane back into the party. BMD President made it clear in his letter that the matter will be dealt with at the BMD congress in 2017.
