- The CC has not met for over two months
LETLHOGILE MPUANG
The Central Committee (CC) of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) is yet to meet and deliberate over the fate of Members of Parliament (MPs) Anna Mokgethi and Pono Moatlhodi, The Botswana Gazette has established.
While there has been mounting speculation over the possibility of their suspension from the BDP, sources say the party’s leadership has not discussed the matter. According to party spokesman Kagelelo Kentse, it has been a while since the CC last met.
“Because of the COVID-19 situation, it has been a while since the Central Committee last met,” Kentse said in an interview. “At the time the issues came to the fore, we were not able to have our Central Committee meetings. So in a nutshell, the Central Committee has not deliberated over their issues.”
In terms of the BDP constitution, only the Central Committee and the President of the party can suspend or expel members.
However, Kentse said he was not in a position to say if the two MPs’ issues had been discussed by the BDP parliamentary caucus “That would be for the Secretary General or the Chief Whip to discuss,” he added. “I do not attend caucus meetings.”
Moatlhodi, who is the MP for Tonota and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, is facing assault charges under the Children’s Act after allegedly unleashing a vicious dog to bite one Kesego Olekantse, causing him puncture wounds and bruises on his face and body, in January of 2019.
The MP for Gaborone Bonnington North, Annah Mokgethi, who is also the Minister of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs, has been ordered by the High Court to give proper accounting records of the late Abdul Joseph’s estate.
Chief Whip Liakat Kablay has previously dismissed reports that backbenchers were piling pressure on President Mokgweetsi Masisi to suspend the two. Secretary General Mpho Balopi was not available for comment at the time of going to press.
When the BDP suspended the MP for Nata/Gweta, Polson Majaga, in May 2020 Balopi was meant to give him space to deal with his defilement charges without any additional pressure from the party. Majaga has since won his case and has been reinstated to the party.