SESUPO RANTSIMAKO
FRANCISTOWN: Botswana Peoples Party (BPP) has slapped its Chairman Richard Gudu and Peter Kuchwe, who is an additional member, with a 48-day suspension pending disciplinary hearing for acting contrary to the party’s resolution.
Following the duo’s failure to attend disciplinary hearings this past weekend, BPP is now reported to be contemplating expelling them for “inciting infightings within the party and continuously rebelling against key decisions.”
The duo recently attended an Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) press conference contrary to the party’s decision. The BPP has been snubbing all UDC activities questioning procedure that was followed to admit the BCP into the opposition coalition. The party insists on this issue and other queries it raised being ironed out before it can be part of the new UDC which includes BCP.
The suspensions of Gudu and Kuchwe were confirmed by the BPP’s Secretary General Galesebiwe Ventha. “The duo was being disorderly when attending the UDC meeting that was not sanctioned by us. Curiously, at that UDC meeting they claimed to be representing BPP while in actual fact we were not aware of their attendance. With these, we met over the weekend and suspended them and should their behavior continue we will not shy away from expelling them from the party.”
Galesebiwe questioned their motive, raising suspicion that they maybe “pushing someone’s agenda” to discredit decisions taken by BPP leadership, saying this is shown by how they were seemingly invited to the UDC meeting. “As the party we agreed that we only attend the old UDC National Executive Committee (NEC) but we learnt of the postponement at the eleventh hour. Surprisingly on the same day Gudu and Kuchwe attended the new UDC NEC meeting raising suspicions that they have been in contact with UDC leadership, more so that Gudu has been inactive in politics due to his health. So it seems like there was foul play,” Galesebiwe observed.