The A-Team faction of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) has once again been favoured in the nomination of councillors.

A source in the ruling party said that out of the 140 nominatons, only about 10 councillors are associated with the Barata-Phathi faction. He said the nominated A-Team councillors are shadow MPs who have been put in place to destabilise Barata-Phathi MPs.

The BDP member who preferred anonymity, said some of the nominated councillors have been appointed to cause havoc in constituencies held by Barata-Phathi MPs. He said the nominations will not guarantee peace for the next five years. He added that the nominated councillors will ensure that they control party structures especially in preparations for congresses.

Some of the A-Team members who have been made nominated councillors include Shima Monageng and Kabo Sebele. Monageng was defeated by Barata-Phathi leader Daniel Kwelagobe in the BDP primaries for Molepolole South while Sebele fell to Utlwang Matlhabaphiri in Molepolole North.

Both Sebele and Monageng are members of the controversial BDP culture and publicity sub- committee. There is talk that Sebele who is from the Kwena royal family might be elected as the Kweneng District Council chairman.

Another prominent A-team member who has been nominated as a councillor is John Mazabathi Mokandla, who contested the general elections as a council candidate in Gaborone West North. He was the only BDP council candidate who was defeated in the constituency. Mokandla was once an ally of Kwelagobe and another Barata-Phathi member Botsalo Ntuane.

He has been instrumental in the BDP campaigns around the country. Former BDP youth leaders Kitso Seloma and Kefentse Mzwinila have been appointed nominated councillors in Sowa Township. But the two activists are not based in Sowa though they are associated with the A-Team. Victor Malete has been appointed a nominated councillor in Tswapong.

Both Malete and Mzwinila were at some stage suspended from the party. Another A-Team member who has been retained as a nominated councillor, is Patrick Mantlhe in the Kweneng South East constituency. Perhaps the most prominent member of the Barata-Phathi who has been appointed as a nominated councillor is Leach Tlhomelang.

In Moshupa, John Disele who defected from the Botswana National Front (BNF) has benefited from special nomination. Disele was supposed to be the BNF parliamentary candidate for Moshupa but he defected to the BDP. After their humiliation at the Kanye elections in July, President Ian Khama has been rewarding mostly A-Team members in party and government appointments.

This has thrown the Barata-Phathi faction in disarray as Khama continues to ride roughshod. Gomolemo Motswaledi has been ousted as BDP secretary general leading to the resignation of his Barata-Phathi allies like Wynter Mmolotsi, Samson Guma Moyo and Kabo Morwaeng from the party central committee. The BDP executive secretary, Batlang Serema was not available for comment.