..As factions trade sabotage accusations
SESUPO RANTSIMAKO
Fresh efforts to reunite the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) have hit a brick wall, with the party’s rival factions once again trading accusations over the collapse of a reconciliation process intended to end the bitter leadership dispute.
GALEBOTSWE POINTS FINGER
Interim BPF president Lieutenant General (rtd) Gaolatlhe Galebotswe has accused the faction led by Lawrence Ookeditse of frustrating the reconciliation initiative by failing to honor key commitments agreed upon by both camps.
In a letter addressed to regional, constituency and ward secretaries, Galebotswe said the two factions had agreed to a reconciliation process facilitated by Olebile Gaborone and Mogomotsi Kaboyamodimo.
RECONCILIATION STALLS
However, he claimed the process has ground to a halt because the Ookeditse faction has failed to implement its part of the agreement.
According to Galebotswe, the first step in the reconciliation roadmap was the establishment of a joint National Executive Committee (NEC) that would steer the party towards its July elective congress and ultimately resolve the leadership dispute.
‘FAILURE TO NOMINATE MEMBERS’
Galebotswe alleged that the Ookeditse camp has failed to nominate six members to serve on the proposed interim NEC, effectively bringing the reconciliation process to a standstill.
He argued that without the agreed transitional leadership structure, the party cannot proceed with preparations for the elective congress.
“The reconciliation process has stalled because the agreed obligations have not been fulfilled,” Galebotswe said in the letter, accusing the rival faction of deliberately delaying progress.
OOKEDITSE HITS BACK
But in a separate letter, Lawrence Ookeditse rejected both Galebotswe’s claim to the interim presidency and the allegations that his faction is responsible for derailing the reconciliation process.
Ookeditse described Galebotswe as an “imposter” and dismissed the accusations as “untruthful and misguided propaganda.”
DEMAND FOR EQUAL REPRESENTATION
He maintained that his faction had written several letters to the reconciliation facilitators stressing the need for equal representation in any committee established to lead the party to congress.
According to Ookeditse, his camp is still awaiting responses to those letters and therefore cannot be blamed for the impasse.
He further instructed his supporters to disregard any directives issued by Galebotswe or his faction until there is formal communication confirming that both sides have reached a joint agreement on the reconciliation process.