Thursday, May 1, 2025

Ndaba Gaolatlhe overruled by NEC

After de-recognising the newly elected Botswana Movement for Democracy Youth League; the party President, Ndaba Gaolatlhe was over the weekend overruled by the party National Executive Council (NEC).

The party NEC resolved in a meeting held over the weekend that the youth League that was elected in Mochudi previously should be recognised.

The NEC also questioned its President why he went on to denounce the newly elected youth arm without consulting with the party NEC.

This comes after the party president went on a local radio station denouncing the current youth League investigations into what might have transpired that caused another lobby led by Rodger Mphafe to withdraw from the youth congress.

The Telegraph has gathered that the NEC is still to appoint a task force to look into the previous youth congress. The names of those who will be appointed shall be announced publicly. Amongst other things the task force will look into what can be done in the future to avoid what transpired in Mochudi.

Although Phenyo Segokgo led team were crowned the winners at the end of the youth congress in Mochudi, Mphafe and his lobby has never at any point recognised Segokgo and his team as the winners.

Mphafe and his team have since accused Segokgo’s team of not campaigning in good faith citing some incidences of violence on his team caused by those who supported Segokgo.

In a recent Press conference Mphafe said the youth elections were unfair and marred with maladministration and violation of the party constitution hence the reason why they pulled out of the contest at the last minute.

The move to recognise the newly elected youth arm by NEC is welcomed by Segokgo’s team. The newly elected youth league secretary General Tolee Itumeleng told TheTelegraph in an interview that the decision to recognise the new youth arm by the NEC is a sign that the party is headed in the right direction. He said now because the youth league has now been recognised it is time that the youth arm embarks on its mandate.

Reached for comment Mphafe told this publication that he has no immediate comment on the NEC decision to recognise Segokgo’s team.

However the party Secretary General Gilbert Mangole said the question at hand before the weekend meeting was whether to dissolve the current youth arm or not.

He said according to their analysis as the NEC nothing warranted dissolving the youth arm as the party constitution was not violated during the youth elections. Mangole said the majority of the NEC members agreed that there was nothing that warranted dissolving the youth arm.

He further emphasized that his party does not condone indiscipline adding that those who did not behave accordingly would be called for disciplinary hearing.

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