Mmegi/The Reporter (Gaborone)
Ephraim Keoreng
3 November 2009
The Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) has elected Thato Kwerepe as the new party secretary general, replacing suspended Gomolemo Motswaledi. A pro Baratha-Phathi lobbyist and additional central committee member, Guma Moyo described the boardroom election as a surprise to him.
According to BDP insiders, the meeting, which was attended by 15 of the 17 committee members voted by secret ballot and Kwerepe edged out Wynter Mmolotsi 8-7.
Mmolotsi, like Motswaledi, belongs to the Baratha-Phathi faction of the BDP while Kwerepe supports the A-Team, which enjoys President Ian Khama's backing.
When contacted for more details, Kwerepe confirmed that he had been elected the substantive BDP secretary general and now replaces Motswaledi, who was elected secretary general at the Kanye conferences where the Bharatha-Phathi faction swept the board last July.
But speaking in an interview with Mmegi yesterday Moyo, who did not attend the meeting, said that he was not aware that the meeting would culminate in an election.
"I had no clue that there would be an election. Even the chairman (Daniel Kwelagobe) had told me that Motswaledi still had an opportunity of appealing as the 14-day grace period had not expired. Kwelagobe had told me the issue of replacement would be discussed next week. I am in Francistown attending to a personal matter and I have been given permission after I asked for it from the committee and HE (His Excellency, Khama)," Moyo said.
However, BDP executive secretary and secretary to the central committee, Dr Comma Serema said he had circulated the agenda to all the members last Thursday.
"The election of the secretary general was included on the agenda," said Serema.
The committee's meeting held in the morning in Gaborone was held chiefly to fill the post of secretary general after Motswaledi was suspended (for five years) after being found guilty by the Party disciplinary committee of questioning the powers of party president, Ian Khama.
Meanwhile, the committee is also said to have decided at its meeting that Kwerepe's previous position (of additional member) should be filled by a woman to bolster the number of women in the party's politburo. At the moment there are four women additional members - Tebelelo Seretse, Malebogo Kruger, Neo Kealotswe and Angelinah Dingalo (Women's Wing Chairperson).
Dr Serema said that the co-option of the additional member would be held at the next central committee meeting on the first Monday of December, which is the 7th.
He said that in the meantime the party is working on a preliminary review of the BDP's performance in the October 16 general elections.
"We will later issue out a detailed report where we will also be looking at what needs to be done to improve our performance next time," he said.
The other committee member, who did not participate in the meeting, is additional member Seretse, who is said to be away in South Africa attending a conference on women in African politics.
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