Oliver Modise
2 December 2008
After humbling Tonota South MP, Pono Moatlhodi, the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) has cracked the whip again by suspending its Molepolole South constituency chairman, Kabo Morwaeng for 12 months for making 'unsavoury' comments.
The BDP disciplinary committee has punished the controversial politician for slamming those who are opposed to the party holding elections next year.
Education Minister and BDP secretary general, Jacob Nkate, told Mmegi that Morwaeng has acknowledged that his conduct was wrong and he was therefore requested to write an apology.
"We don't want party members throwing barbed wires at each other," warned Nkate. He said the party is against Morwaeng's remarks because the bulk of it was hate-speech targeting members who were merely trying to debate an issue.
Morwaeng launched the onslaught when speaking to the Botswana Gazette. He told the weekly newspaper that people who oppose BDP elections want to take Africa and Botswana back to the days when nasty dictators like the late Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaire, Idi Amin of Uganda and Kamuzu Banda of Malawi were in power.
"We do not want clones of such-pseudo leaders in the BDP," he said. He added that only dictators would sell the idea that elections bring instability. "Competition builds a political party and we cannot suspend democracy," Morwaeng said.
The idea not to hold elections at the party's congress next year was initiated by BDP activist, Dr Raphael Dingalo. The University of Botswana academic proposed that the elections be deferred to allow the party to concentrate its resources on the 2009 general elections.
The proposal caused controversy in the party and Morwaeng came out with guns blazing and accused those who did not want elections as an emerging reactionary and elitists who propagate undemocratic principles.
By the time of going to press, Morwaeng was not available for comment as his mobile phone rang without answer. Luckily for Morwaeng, Nkate said that the disciplinary committee has ruled that the suspension will be waived on condition that he does not commit a similar offence in the next three months.
The decision to discipline Morwaeng comes soon after the BDP recalled Moatlhodi from contesting next year's elections for making comments that irked the party's top brass. After an outcry, a grovelling Moatlhodi has been forgiven and allowed to stand in the elections.
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