Gaborone — The bitter feuding in the faction-ridden Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) is likely to hit a new high as President Ian Khama seeks to neutralise the influence of those who humiliated him in party polls and show them who is boss.
The Botswana President has rattled his rivals in the BDP by unilaterally taking decisions that were originally made through consultation and snubbing the new party officials who defeated his favourites in recent BDP elections.
The action has once again renewed talk that BDP might follow the ANC script in South Africa and 'recall' Mr Khama from the state presidency as happened to Thabo Mbeki. Though this sounds far-fetched anything is possible, given that under Khama, a number of age-old BDP traditions have been violated.
In what amounts to a back-handed compliment to BDP delegates at the recent congress in the village in Kanye, Mr Khama has appointed Ms Tebelelo Seretse and Health Minister Ms Lesego Motsumi and other BDP election losers to the party executive committee.
The Khama aura of invincibility was left in tatters after all his favourites in the Nkate-Merafhe faction or A-Team were walloped by the rival Kedikilwe-Kwelagobe axis in party polls, a development that has threatened to make him a lame-duck president.
Political veteran, Mr Daniel Kwelagobe was at the head of an open rebellion against Khama by the party rank and file and was retained as BDP chairman after a riveting contest with former women's wing chairperson, Ms Seretse.
Former BDP youth wing president, Mr Gomolemo Motswaledi felled another political heavyweight Ms Motsumi in the race for secretary-general as the Kedikilwe-Kwelagobe made a clean sweep of the 10 positions up for grabs.
The election result means that Khama has lost control of an important lever of power in Botswana, the ruling party, which is a very formidable political machine.
Before the elections, some analysts said that should the Kedikilwe-Kwelagobe faction, popularly known as Barata phathi (those who love the party) take control of BDP, they might hold the otherwise powerful Khama at ransom.
Comments 1 to 2 of 2 Post a comment
I already commentedsome weeks ago in PALAPYE.com about Khama's
behavior towards Kwelagobe.
BY REMOVING DANIEL KWELAGOBE FROM THE CABINET KHAMA STARTED
DIGING HIS POLITICAL GRAVEYARD!
For how long is Ian Khama going to behave like an elefant in a china shop?!
HAVE HE NEVER HEARD THE WORD" DIPLOMACY?"
YOU DO NOT FIGHT YOUR ADVERCERIES;MR:KHAMA....
YOU WINN THEM,YOU MAKE THEM TO FOLLOW YOU AND NOT KWELAGOBE!
And then ...what is this recent agression and accusation of the Media?
HAVE YOU NOT LEARNED,Mr.KHAMA that the Media is the one,who could make you raise ot who could make you fall!
We all knew that the Kingdom of Batwsanaland was under serious leadership threat under the Seretse Khamas. How the guy was catapulted into presidency smacks of an indication to uphold the Seretse Khamas political dynasty.
Batwsana have their beer heavily taxed in a dictatorial fashion to keep hard working citizens in the kitchen. Unilateral decisions and having Seretse Khamas in top gvt positions is truly an insult to ordinary folks.
Democracy plays with time, no matter how Ian wants to have support from the west by bringing AFRICOMM, divide the region by vilifying other SADC member states and make SADC a powerless regional body before the western community.
Seretse Khamas can have the political pluses they ashamedly seek from irrelevant western communities but we are watching hear up and close at home and the SADC region.