The BCP is preparing a no-confidence motion against Deputy Speaker Helen Manyeneng after rejecting Speaker Dithapelo Keorapetse’s response to allegations of partisan conduct.
SESUPO RANTSIMAKO
The Botswana Congress Party (BCP) is preparing to table a motion of no confidence against Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Helen Manyeneng after Speaker Dithapelo Keorapetse rejected calls for her to step down over allegations of partiality and lack of parliamentary integrity.
WhatsApp Claims
The development follows Keorapetse’s response to a recent BCP letter calling on Manyeneng to step down. The Speaker said he had found insufficient grounds to conclude that his deputy was being controlled or manipulated for partisan purposes.
The BCP’s complaint reportedly centred on alleged WhatsApp communications attributed to Manyeneng which, according to the party, contained instructions on parliamentary strategy, including calls to “dim BCP shine and lights” by ensuring that urgent questions flooded the Order Paper alongside urgent motions and ministerial statements.
Speaker’s Defence
In his response to the BCP this week, Keorapetse maintained that the information before him did not provide sufficient grounds to conclude that Manyeneng was being controlled or manipulated for partisan purposes.
The response has failed to satisfy the BCP, which says its concerns over the alleged communication and Manyeneng’s conduct have not been adequately addressed.
No-Confidence Route
BCP Chief Whip Caterpillar Hikuama said the party was not satisfied with Keorapetse’s response, arguing that the Speaker’s letter failed to address the opposition’s concerns. He accused Keorapetse of attempting to “sugarcoat” what his deputy was doing instead of directly addressing the allegations against her.
Hikuama said the party had therefore been left with no other option but to pursue a motion of no confidence against Manyeneng. “Our caucus is meeting today to discuss the issue and map the way forward,” he said.
“We want to look at all the possibilities of bringing the motion so that it can be impactful and how to tackle it.”
The caucus is expected to consider the wording of the proposed motion and the strategy the party will adopt before formally bringing it before Parliament.
Impartiality Test
The allegations have intensified scrutiny of the political neutrality expected of a presiding officer, particularly the Deputy Speaker’s responsibility to oversee parliamentary proceedings fairly and without partisan influence. The opposition argues that the alleged communication is inconsistent with the independence and impartiality expected from the holder of the office.
Keorapetse stressed that his position should not be understood as indifference to concerns regarding parliamentary impartiality. He said any properly substantiated instance of a presiding officer departing from the Constitution, Standing Orders or established principles of parliamentary fairness would be taken seriously and dealt with through the appropriate parliamentary mechanisms.