- Accuses Moyo of DISS connections to destroy BPF
- Wants congress moved from Tati Siding to Jwaneng/Mabutsane
- Says home ground would give advantage to Moyo’s presidential ambitions
- Moyo says such false accusations may “incite members of the public against the DISS and myself”
SESUPO RANTSIMAKO
A plan to neutralise Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) presidential candidate Guma Moyo’s dominance in the National Executive Committee (NEC) and the party at large is allegedly being hatched by Moiseraele Goya’s faction that regards Moyo as an agent of the Directorate of Intelligence and Security Services (DISS) sent to destroy the BPF, The Botswana Gazette has established.
The BPF is expected to hold its elective congress in Tati-Siding in October where Moyo and Goya will battle it out for control of the party.
While the elective congress is already scheduled for Tati Siding, Goya’s supporters want it moved to a different place because Moyo would have ‘home ground advantage’ in Tati Siding. At any rate, Goya’s supporters are of the view that Moyo is a person of questionable character who cannot be trusted to lead the BPF.
According recordings purported to be of a meeting of Goya’s supporters held in Tonota last weekend, the Goya faction wants the BPF elective congress to be held in the Jwaneng/Mabutsane constituency in the south of the country as part of plans to weaken Moyo.
Among those in attendance were Omphile Kgokong, Catherine Sepora, Dintle Macheka and Setshego Mokalake. In the recordings, they rally behind Goya and castigated Moyo’s candidacy, accusing him of working with the DISS to destroy the BPF. They berate Moyo’s character and say the man is notorious for using money to entice the electorate and that his dominance in the party should be stopped at all costs.
“He has been sent by DISS to destroy this party,” says one of the voices. “It is in the open that he is working for President Mokgweetsi Masisi through DISS. Tati Siding is his home ground and he is in control. We should therefore fight for the congress to be moved to Jwaneng/Mabutsane. In order to re-strategise, we should propose for re-scheduling of the congress.”
To maintain their aim of changing the venue of the congress, the Goya faction intends to table a proposal to that effect at a BPF conference where they plan to propose a maximum of 50 delegates from each region. “Once we propose the change of venue to Jwaneng/Mabutsane constituency, we will have more support,” says another voice.
The Branch Chairman of the BPF in Tonota, Major Bayendisi Thabano, has confirmed the meeting that he was its organiser but would not be drawn on discussing the matter about Moyo. Thabano wanted to know where The Gazette had obtained the recordings. “I can confirm that there was a meeting but no one was attacked,” he said. “The agenda was to talk about revival of party structures. This is all I can say,”
Reached for comment, Moyo said he was not bothered by the allegations that are peddled against him. “We are in an election time and a lot gets to be said about those standing for party positions,” he said. “Such, unfortunately, is the nature of politics. I am not distracted and will leave the NEC to deal with any issue of discipline in the party.”
Regarding allegedly being a DISS agent sent to destroy the BPF, Moyo responded: “I hope and pray that those who peddle lies about me and DISS will not cry political victimisation when answers are demanded of them. These false accusations can incite members of the public against the DISS and myself. I hope the party will move with speed to correct the situation.”
For his part, Goya said he was not aware of the meeting. Regarding the venue of the congress, he said it was chosen in good faith long before anyone declared interest in the position of president of the BPF. However, he was quick to point out that if Moyo has indeed declared interest in becoming president of the BPF, the venue of the congress has to be re-considered.
“What I know is that Tati Siding was chosen in good faith because at that time no one had declared interest to run for the presidency of the party,” he said. “But that being the case now, it will be fair for the venue to be re-considered.”