Maun West MP, Tawana Moremi, has said that Vice President Mompati Merafhe is an embarrassment to the country.
Moremi said this as part of his closing remarks at the Barata-Phathi faction convention which was held over the weekend.
He said that Merafhe has become famous for outrageous statements, which he (Moremi) said was not helping the party in any way.
He said that he was shocked while attending a BDP caucus meeting to hear the Vice President state that all was well within the BDP. He said that when Francistown MP, Wynter Mmolotsi, told a caucus meeting that people were generally dissatisfied and unhappy at the way the party was run, Merafhe responded by saying that ‘happiness was a state of the mind’.
He said that Merafhe indicated to the caucus that he does not see the need for a retreat. He said that for Barata-Phathi, the caucus was and is usually a deplorable gathering as they are scorned and even labelled traitors.
Tawana also condemned the suspension of Ntuane, Morwaeng and Pilane from the party saying that they had done nothing wrong.
“I also lobbied for Motswaledi,” he said.
He said when he stepped down as Batawana chief, he saw it as a move to embrace republican politics and the changes associated with a republic. He, however, quipped that it was amazing that this only applied to other areas except the central district.
He said that it was getting difficult to assess what is right from wrong as some people were paranoid about pleasing Khama.
“It’s unfair that there is no alternative,” said Tawana.
He said that he had once suggested that perhaps the only alternative could be to challenge Khama for the Presidency of the party.
“In some areas there is still feudalism,” he said as he referred to Khama’s way of rule.
He said that all along he had always known that there will be a problem with Khama after he was allowed to enter the realm of politics while also retaining his chieftainship.
He said that he met Khama over the ongoing standoff within the party but the President appeared unmoved and was clear that he wanted the trio suspended from the party.
Moremi said that, following the suspension, there was a sense of relief in that it was clear that Khama and Barata-Phathi were now in diametrically opposite sides.
Tawana said that he had suggested a retreat but Khama was altogether opposed to the retreat.
Tawana said that because of the centralised way in which things are done, BDP MPs have become a laughing stock. He said that BDP MPs, especially those associated with Barata-Phathi, have become ‘lame -ducks’. He said that there was no use continuing to earn their monthly salary while failing to have a say on issues.
“It will be difficult to approach the electorate in 2014,” he stated.
He said that the situation had gotten worse to a point where ministers just tour the country without courtesy of informing the area MP about their visits.
“We have become objects of ridicule and it’s painful,” he told the meeting.
He urged the delegates to report back to their various constituencies on the resolutions taken and the group’s intention to form a new party.
“What we have done is commendable,” he said.