Masitara�s overseas move becomes a joke
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Tuesday April 1, 2014 12:13
The legislator apologised on Sunday afternoon at a meeting at Galaletsang Primary School, chaired by BDP deputy secretary general, Malebogo Kruger. The meeting came after councillors in the constituency wrote a letter to the party leadership last Wednesday demanding that Masitara be replaced with immediate effect.
During the contentious meeting, Masitara said he was joking when he said he wanted a political Sabbatical. He said he never thought his councillors would take him seriously to the point of reporting him to the party top brass. He claimed that he was taken aback when some people who attended the lunch he hosted at the constituency office, leaked the news to newspapers. “It was a mere joke. I never thought people would take the joke seriously. You will forgive me for that. I’m really sorry,” said Masitara.
However, his apology was not received wholeheartedly as some council candidates rebuked him for his silly joke. They accused him of not having the best interests of the party at heart and seeking to hand over the constituency to the opposition.
They demanded to know why he had failed to go through party structures if he had a problem in the constituency. They accused him of sabotage by not attending party activities in the area.
One of the speakers, John Pule from Moselewapula ward said Masitara is never seen in the constituency either campaigning or addressing peoples’ problems. Others complained that the constituency office has been dysfunctional in the past three months and people have been complaining about the MP’s absence.
A council candidate, Khumo Sebereko of Moselewapula said he has tried several times to cooperate with Masitara but he always claims he is busy. “I don’t think that Masitara was joking when he said that he will be leaving the country soon to Canada. We do not want to be stranded at the last minute. Masitara should tell us the truth whether he is going or not,” he said.
Another council candidate, Tshekiso David accused the MP of not knowing his team and de-campaigning the BDP with a document he authored and distributed in the constituency. In the document, Masitara has accused some MPs of corruption.
“He doesn’t know some of the candidates. Ever since he won the primary elections, he has never met with the candidates. And his intended move overseas has destabilised our campaign. We are likely to lose the elections because of him,” said David.
Kruger told Masitara that what he did was uncalled for as he was supposed to be leading the campaign team. She said there is need for councillors to cooperate with the MP as he has apologised. “Both of you should know that BDP comes first, then it will help you put aside your differences. I have realised that councillors only want Masitara to avail himself in the area and cooperate with them. I will always be available to check if indeed councillors and the MP are cooperating,” she said.