The BPF secretary-general Tshekedi Khama, however, is standing on Butale’s word that he has resigned, hence the BPF executive leadership has decided to ignore Butale’s suspension letters.
The trio that had been written suspension letters include Robert Mariba, councillor Vuyo Notha and Member of Parliament for Serowe West constituency Khama(Tshekedi).
In an interview with Khama on Tuesday, he said: “We are not taking Butale’s suspension letters seriously. That is a joke. How can we be suspended by someone who has resigned from the party? We have the upcoming congress, we should allow the members to make their own decisions without fear or favour. Our party cannot be led by a person who is not a member.
O rile wa tswa mo BPF, jaanong ke eng a batla go laola a tsamaye, a lese go batla go re senyetsa party. I had written to him before he wrote those joke suspension letters to stop holding party meetings since he had resigned.” He further stressed that the BPF would not die or cannot be held to ransom by one person. Khama said Butale always makes noise or causes confusion in the party when people differ with him at party national executive committee (NEC) meetings. He said they are aware of the plan that Butale and some of his associates are trying to do but they cannot derail the BPF from holding its congress. While a letter, written by Khama dated March 27, 2023, which states that at the NEC meeting that was held at Arirang Hotel in Gaborone, Butale made a pronouncement that he was resigning from the party and walked out of the NEC meeting that he was presiding over. “While your position of resignation is understood, we are surprised that you are now conducting party activities where you are spotted in the eastern region in Selebi-Phikwe where you also gave an address under the pretext that you are the BPF president.
We, therefore, advise you to cease and desist from such.” On the other hand, in his suspension letters, Butale said: “In the interest of peace and stability in the BPF, and the survival of the party, and using powers bestowed upon me as president of the BPF, under clause 20.6.4 which empowers the president in cases of emergency, to take action in the interest of the BPF pending review by the national congress, I hereby notify you of my decision to suspend you from the party pending review by congress.” The letter says the cause of action is a result of their acts of indiscipline, insubordination and causing divisions in the party which if not immediately curtailed will not only bring the party into disrepute but threaten its survival. It further states that they are suspended from BPF, and any position that they hold and they should not represent themselves anywhere as a member of the party pending review by the national congress. On the other hand, in an interview with the BPF, MP for Serowe North constituency, Baratiwa Mathoothe said there is no need for NEC members to be fighting or exchanging letters.
This he said is not time for them to be trying to suspend each other. "They are all BPF members and suspension letters cannot work while we are going to the national congress. Can they allow congress to make decisions without having to cause divisions or try to influence members? Congress will make decisions on issues of leadership. Can NEC facilitate preparations without fighting because it is already April? Currently, members are interested in the date and place where the congress will be held not any other issue.
This is our party as members.” He said members are disappointed by decisions that NEC sometimes try to take whenever they have misunderstandings. Mathoothe said the reason why they had brought independent people to help their NEC to resolve the differences within them was for them to facilitate congress quickly so that all issues can be dealt with decisively there. He said the 2024 General Election is near and the primary elections have to be held therefore they cannot afford a divided party. When contacted for a comment Butale said he cannot comment on party internal matters.
