Ephraim Keoreng
3 July 2009
President Ian Khama's decision to support former cabinet minister, Tebelelo Seretse in the race for chairperson of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) seems to have opened longstanding rivalries in Serowe South constituency.
Seretse, a former BDP Women's Wing chairperson represented the constituency in the 1999-2004 Parliament after a bitter war with cabinet minister and current MP, Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi.
The two have been archrivals since the 1999 battle for the BDP ticket. They renewed their rivalry for the seat in 2004 when Venson-Moitoi emerged tops, a feat she repeated last year in the BDP primaries. The minister's victories against her rival is seen as evidence that she is a good leader and a hardworking politician who has endeared herself to the people in her constituency.
This school of thought paints Seretse as a politician who has lost grip in her constituency , where she has even failed to be elected as an observer or delegated to the forthcoming BDP congress in Kanye.
The recent set-back is a humiliation to Seretse by her own people and this means that she might not have their support in Kanye against Kwelagobe.
Well before the rise of Khama to the presidency, Venson-Moitoi was identified with the Kedikile-Kwelagobe faction. Hence the decision by her constituency to snub Seretse can be seen as a hidden hand by the legislator to ensure that Kwelagobe gets support from her people.
Venson-Moitoi however denies having any influence in the humiliation of her rival in Serowe South. "The structures are supreme. I am just a messenger of the party," she said.
She said that she is not aware that some people in her constituency intend to vote against Seretse at the Central Committee elections in Kanye. She said has never entertained factionalism in the BDP. "If anyone wants to ascribe a faction to me, let them do so," she said. An outspoken councillor in the constituency, speaking on conditions of anonymity said that they do not want Seretse.
"Her support is very minimal here. Even if Venson-Moitoi were to retire from Parliament we would not vote for her," he said.
He added that Khama made matters worse by lobbying them to vote for Seretse. "We are independent-minded and would not want anyone to come and tell us who to vote for," he said.
The councillor let it slip that Seretse is a divisive politician. He cited an incident during primary elections when she wrote to the party requesting that some councillors, who did not support her, be fired from the party.
"It is not that we don't listen to the President. It is just that he came with the wrong person.
If she wins and becomes chairperson, she will be too powerful and harass us. Ga re ithasele (We can't set ourselves up). We can't compromise (Daniel) Kwelagobe by voting her for the chairmanship," he said.
Another councillor Bahithi Ratora of Mogatsapoo Ward said only a few people support Seretse. He said that at the moment, he is still listening to the proposals by Kwelagobe and Seretse to decide who to support.
"But here at constituency level, I have always wanted Venson-Moitoi. That is why when she (Seretse) approached me for support, I told her point-blank that I prefer Venson-Moitoi over her," he said.
Manonnye councilor, Leepetswe Lesedi said that by not voting Seretse to be a delegate, which could have helped her to cast a vote for herself at the congress, Serowe South BDP members have clearly indicated that she does not have their support. He said that he is not even sure that the delegates from their constituency will vote for her.
"Seretse had challenged Venson-Moitoi and that could be the reason why a lot of people are not eager to support her for the chairmanship. They don't trust her and the party chairmanship is a very powerful position and Venson-Moitoi, who is aware of this, might have influenced the councillors and other democrats here against Seretse. She knows that as chairperson, Seretse would become too powerful and influential in the party with large resources at her disposal hence she will come and trounce her at the next primary election for the 2014 general elections," he explained.
Likewise, Mokolobetsi Galefele, councillor for Mogorosi Ward views the whole issue as a battle for power by Venson-Moitoi supporters who are afraid that if elected chairperson, Seretse would be in a better position to wrestle the Serowe South constituency from the minister.
"I know there are some councillors who also want to fix her as they think she did not treat them well, especially during the primary elections," he said.
Galefele burst into laughter when asked whether Seretse has a cordial working relationship with councillors in the constituency. "Let me not talk about that," he said in the end.
However, Moiyabana councillor, Serame Gaerobale and his Thabala counterpart Gaoboelwe Setshwaela have said they support Seretse in her bid to unseat Kwelagobe.
Setshwaela explained that factionalism abounds in the constituency and that the Kedikilwe-Kwelagobe alliance in Serowe South has been actively canvassing support for Kwelagobe, hence it was successful in making sure Seretse is not voted a delegate for the Kanye congress. Seretse told Mmegi that in politics, some people will prefer a particular candidate while others will reject him or her.
She is confident that she will have a lot of support from the constituency at the Kanye congress.
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