- Questions credibility of meeting
- Says Reconciliation Committee is already biased even before the process starts
- BPF not aware of any group that rejected meeting
- Says that reconciliation is ongoing
SESUPO RANTSIMAKO
An effort by the embattled Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) Reconciliation Committee to start a reconciliation process with the party members calling themselves Patriots Action Group (PAG) faction hit a snag after the group rejected the meeting raising objection over the involvement of the party’s Acting President Caroline Lesang, The Botswana Gazette has established.
This publication is reliably informed that the reconciliation meeting was scheduled for last week Thursday. However, the meeting failed after PAG rejected the meeting questioning why Lesang was involved in informing and inviting them. Led by Carter Morupisi as the Chairman, PAG is a group of concerned members within BPF that are aligned to the party’s Patron Ian Khama and Presidential candidate Moiseraele Goya. Mostly, the sympathisers of the faction are from the Central region.
Information reaching this publication is that after the Reconciliation Committee led by Isaac Kgosi scheduled the meeting for last week Friday, Lesang as the Party Leader was delegated to inform and invite PAG for reconciliation. However, the concerned group reportedly rejected the meeting reasons being that they have planned one the following day in Palapye which was scheduled for this past Saturday.
The PAG allegedly rejected the reconciliation meeting raising objection over the involvement of Lesang in the process. According to sources within the party, the PAG members believed that automatically the involvement of Lesang has already affected the reconciliation process credibility. In their conviction, the group felt that the reconciliation was going to be biased because Lesang is aligned to one faction of the party being Guma Moyo one.
“The Reconciliation Committee wanted to starts the process but surprisingly PAG rejected the meeting advancing lame reasons. Their only gripe was why Lesang invited them instead of the Reconciliation Committee members. They should have known better that Lesang by virtue of her position was better placed to relay the message of invite,” revealed an insider.
Reached for comment Morupisi declined to comment. “I cannot comment on that issue because I am not aware of the reconciliation meeting you are talking about,” he said in an interview with this publication.
In a letter this publication is in possession of, allegedly in response to the invitation to the reconciliation meeting, Morupisi invited all Patriots to a program launch of PAG in Palapye.
“The PAG which announced its formation through its statement by stating that its lack of confidence in the National Executive Committee and its inability to unite or preside over effectively over party activities wishes to inform all Patriots that it will launch its program of action in Palapye on Saturday 29th October,” reads the letter that was written last week ahead of the reconciliation meeting.
The BPF has never known peace after its Patron went into exile in South Africa accusing the government for harassing him over his alleged corruption cases. The situation worsened when the party sanctioned its elective congress. As a result, two warring factions aligned to Presidential candidates Guma Moyo and Moiseraele Goya emerged from the party fighting for its control.
Responding to The Botswana Gazette enquiries, BPF spokesperson Lawrence Ookeditse said that reconciliation meetings are ongoing. “As we speak the party executive is in a reconciliation meeting then more will follow. So, I do not know who would be rejecting the reconciliation talks when the leadership is participating,” he stated.