BNF conference: the unofficial record
RAMPHOLO MOLEFHE | Wednesday July 30, 2008 00:00
The worst that happened was that a few heads rolled, as they should have after the May Molepolole 'special congress' that spat out Kathleen Letshabo and the central committee members who found president Otsweletse Moupo's political deportment embarrassing.
He was found stranded in London by Ian Khama whom, it is believed saved the country the embarrassment of a lost leader of the opposition. By bailing him out with taxpayers' money, presumably on the guarantee that he would salvage some earnings from parliament after he cleared his own personal bills.
Nobody yet knows what he did with the money that should have gone to partners in talks about opposition unity, except perhaps himself, and the lucky few who might have been able to retrieve their share of the loot.
The conference ensured that the 'dissidents' were permanently got rid of. Save that they might have to face a kangaroo court in two weeks time. They will surely be found guilty of offending the code of conduct of the Botswana National Front. Moupo will be exculpated from his scandalous dealings with party funds, and his own, some of them belonging to organisations which should have united with the Front against Domkrag. His perceived offences, at least in the eyes of Letshabo, and the central committee group that was offended by the man's careless handling of party and personal finances, do not constitute transgression of the organisation's 'code of conduct'. Moupo's central committee is determined to ensure that the code of conduct is set for dissenters, favouring himself and his team. In order to guarantee that, the 'conference' doors were shut to the dissenting group that lost out at Molepolole. The delegates that accompanied them were closed out on the first day. On the following day, the club gates were secured to ensure that the dissidents did not find a way into the conference. Security guards had to be called in to ensure that central committee members were not beaten. The police were also on standby. The organisation, the police were conditioned to accept, was not only prone but given to violent resolution of conflict.
So, the central committee was prepared for a confrontation in Jwaneng. In order to avert an outright challenge to Moupo's presidency, it decided that there would be a conference, rather than a congress which has the constitutional power to elect the leadership.
Moupo's group had decided, well before the Molepolole special congress, that he would be president well beyond the general election in 2009. The resolve was strengthened when Moupo lost the primaries to Moses Bantsi in Gaborone West North. There had to be justification for his continued clinging to power. Ironically, his central committee would take a stand that exuded contempt for Robert Mugabe's rebuke of attempts to elect him out of Zimbabwe's presidency.
The conference would also be asked to consider the conduct of the monarchy of Swaziland. Never though, should it attempt to liken King Mswati's running of things to the manner in which Moupo does his. But these were all irrelevancies to divert the attention of congress away from the chicanery that would ensue.
There would be commissions, which would seek legitimisation of Moupo's leadership, despite the protests of his central committee in the run up to Molepolole.
Whereas conference practice determined that commissions would be appointed to consider a few select issues, on this occasion, only one would discuss Moupo's presidency, whilst others would be kept busy with debates about governance in Swaziland and Zimbabwe. In order that they should not become listless, they would be offered discussion of preparations for the 2009 general election. All of them did that. Three took on an assignment which they were not assigned. They discussed Moupo's presidency. They recommended that he should be encouraged to leave office. The recommendations of one of the committees from Gaborone Central were thrown out. They refused to be assigned a secretary and a chairperson announced to them by publicity secretary, Mohaswa and national chairperson, Bashi Sengwaketsi. The Gaborone Central people wanted Nelson Ramaotwana for chairperson of the commission.
The recommendation of the two 'legitimate' commissions were not taken into account by the top table. The top table was prepared to take only the recommendation of the commission it had conditioned to endorse Moupo.
The government press could not have caught wind of this. They were not privy to the reports of the conference. Neither are they in the habit of pursuing information other than that which is given by officially designated officials.
The state information services were flooded with disinformation and misinformation about the actual findings of the conference. The conference, with the possible exception of delegates from Gantsi, wanted to be rid of Moupo.
The conference came to a rude stop when the Gaborone group, whose commission was relegated to the dustbin, stood up to a party song to pre-empt an official end to the conference.The central committee performed its own official ending outside of conference, there deciding to fire Lebohang Letsie, Karlmon Mogalakwe, Elmon Tafa, Akanyang Magama and Duncan Basenyapelo. They, it was determined, stood in the way of preparations of the BNF to unseat the Botswana Democratic Party at the 2009 general election.
Nothing could be done about Nehemiah Modubule and PUSO, because the conference had decided that they were not going anywhere.
It remains a wonder that Ramaotwana escaped the axe for, his part in defying the top tables decision to give his Gaborone contingent a chairperson at the commission where they sat.
Nevertheless, the conference outside the conference hall decided on a contest between Baatlhodi Molatlhegi and Elmon Tafa for presidency. Magama, who is belived to have let his group down by losing touch with the constituency representation in the run up to Molepolole will be considered for deputy secretary general. Letsie is in the running for vice president.