We'll punish Keorapetse’s disrespect – Saleshando
Spira Tlhankane | Tuesday August 6, 2024 16:07
Hence the party said by installing Reuben Kaizer as their parliamentary candidate for the constituency, they aim to rain down hellfire on Keorapetse-who used to be their own. The incumbent MP was expelled from the BCP in 2022 after becoming a thorn in the party's side at the time. BCP president, Dumelang Saleshando, said at Kaizer's launch over the weekend, that Keorapetse will face punishment. To the BCP, Keorapetse was seen as an usurper and branded a traitor when he assumed the position of Leader of Opposition (LoO) in Parliament. What hurt members of the party the most was that he was part of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) caucus, which removed Saleshando from the LoO position.
Saleshando, whose wound is still fresh two years later, indicated in Phikwe that Keorapetse is a thorn that they raised only to later prick them. 'Setswana sare ka tlhagolela mookana ya re o gola wa ntlhaba,” he said, adding that in sending Kaizer to reclaim the constituency, the BCP wants to enforce the law and teach Keorapetse a valuable lesson. “The main lesson is that when people elevate you from a position of irresponsibility and inexperience in leadership to that of an MP, you don’t do what you did,” he highlighted about Keorapetse. Saleshando said in the 15 years that the BCP had held Phikwe West, the constituents made it clear that they don't want the Botswana National Front (BNF).
He said Keorapetse is now trying to impose the BNF on Phikwe residents by masquerading as the UDC. “O ka se bona oka nona,” Saleshando stated. Keorapetse ‘doesn’t have a political home’ and has since become part of the UDC as an ordinary member. Saleshando further labelled Keorapetse as Judas Iscariot, one of the 12 Apostles, notorious for betraying Jesus Christ in the bible. Saleshando said by giving Kaizer the responsibility of reclaiming Phikwe West from the UDC after Keorapetse was expelled by the BCP national conference two years ago, the latter believes that Kaizer won’t shoot them in the back like Keorapetse did. Saleshando said as the ‘commander-in-chief’ of the lime movement he is confident that he can give a gun to Kaizer with the hope that he won't betray the party like Keorapetse did.