VP saves deputy F/town mayor’s scalp
News
Vice President, Mokgweetsi Masisi
The ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) was recently forced to move swiftly and thwart an ouster plot that the councilors were aiming at the deputy Francistown City Council (FCC) mayor, Lechedzani Modenga.
Information reaching WeekendPost is that BDP councilors are cranking up the heat on Modenga to be dethroned from the deputy mayoral position. BDP councilors here are accusing the city’s second citizen of ever missing in action.
One concerned councilor allegedly raised the concern during a recent meeting convened and chaired by Vice President Mokgweetsi, who is also the ruling party chairperson at Tati River Lodge here in Francistown.
At a meeting attended by some BDP regional committee members for the Francistown region and branch secretaries from the three constituencies in the country’s second largest city, according to impeccable sources, councilors questioned the ever non-availability of Modenga.
WeekendPost has learnt from impeccable sources that one councilor sought advice from the vice president as to what action could be taken for Modenga whom councilors accused of always away without official leave (AWOL).
Councilors here wanted to be guided as to whether it will be inappropriate for them to pass a vote-of-no-confidence on the ever absent deputy mayor, sources said. Our sources added that the toppling of Modenga would solve the barrage of criticism that the ruling party councilors are receiving from opposition civic leaders.
In response, the VP allegedly advised councilors to desist from the penchant of passing a vote-of-no-confidence against fellow democrats. According to sources, Masisi said such move (of passing vote-of-no-confidence) has got the potential of disintegrating the party.
He allegedly gave Francistown councilors two options which are waiting for his two and half years period elapses and vote in a new person for the position of deputy mayor or persuading him to write a resignation letter.
While obtaining a comment from the VP himself proved futile, the BDP Francistown region’s secretary general Rauboy Mpuang said it would not be a surprise that the party chairperson is said to have been preaching peace amongst democrats.
Although he professed ignorance about the alleged meeting where councilors were encouraged to work hand in glove with other democrats, Mpuang said Francistown councilors have learnt from previous experiences that passing vote-of-no-confidence against another democrat can be suicidal.
According to sources, the BDP had to move swiftly because it is trying by all means necessary not to further fragment the already disintegrated Francistown councilors. Since taking as a city mayor in December 2014, Francistown mayor Silvia Muzila has survived three ouster plots on three occasions.
It took the intervention of the party’s top brass to quell the fires which nearly tore the once close knit BDP family within the country’s second largest city’s chambers into tatters.
News
Botswana approves extradition of British fugitive
Raiz Ahmed Tayub, a British fugitive sought by Interpol for his involvement in human trafficking and slave trade crimes, was captured by the Botswana Police Service (BPS) earlier this year.
This content is locked
Login To Unlock The Content!
featured
BOCRA detects new cyber attacks targeted at Botswana
Government owned communications regulator, Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA) recently detected several cyber-attacks targeted at national information and communications infrastructure, companies and home routers in this country.
This content is locked
Login To Unlock The Content!
News
Malawi appeals for help over Cyclone Freddy at PAP
As of yesterday evening, the death toll from the Cyclone in Malawi had risen from the initially reported 190 to 225 in a short period of time, over 20 000 people have been displaced, and the worst of fears are yet to come as the fatalities continue to mount. This was reported by a Malawi Member of Parliament attending the Pan African Parliament session in Midrand, South Africa, Hon Steven Mikiya.
Mikiya was giving a statement on behalf of Malawi as the ongoing Pan African Parliament in South Africa.
Mikiya said the Cyclone has wreaked the most havoc in our country’s Southern Region. “The Southern Region, has been hardest hit with widespread heavy rains and strong winds. This caused a rapid rise in water levels and subsequent flooding. Meanwhile, power supply has been disrupted, roads blocked off and rendered impassable and mudslides have also been widely reported,” he said.
He made a special appeal to the PAP: “Where I come from, there is a parable which I would like to share with you which says, “mzako weniweni umamudziwa panthawi ya mavuto.” Simply put, a friend in need is a friend indeed or put loosely, a person who helps at a difficult time is a friend you can rely on.”
Mikiya continued: “Yes! Misfortune has knocked on our door and left in its wake a trail of death and destruction that may take years to fully recover from. However, amidst these difficulties, I have every reason to believe that sometimes when you are in a dark place and think you have been buried, you have actually been planted. My belief, Mr. President, arises out of my faith in this gathering and out of the conviction that it is not coincidental that Cyclone Freddy hit Malawi and Mozambique while the delegations of both countries are here.”
According to Mikiya, the level of destruction, the loss of life, property and the decimation of the entire fabric of established communities has been unprecedented. He noted that all this, is coming at a time when Malawi was starting to show signs of recovery from the deadly COVID-19 pandemic that also came hard on the heels of Cyclone Ana and Cyclone Gombe that left a similar trail of devastation and destruction in Malawi and neighbouring countries.
As of Sunday, this week, from the 12th of March, Malawi and Mozambique have been facing the devastating effects of Cyclone Freddy that made a landfall over Mozambique on Saturday the 11th and reached Malawi by Sunday the 12th of March.
The Malawi legislator said he has absolute faith in the Pan African Parliament, which he described as “a league of nations brought together by a shared ancestry, history, identity as well as our beloved continent which we inhabit”.
Meanwhile, Malawi President, Lazarus Chakwera, has declared a State of Disaster in the affected areas effectively appealing for local and international support for the affected families.
Mikiya appealed to the Pan African Parliament drawing “positive” inspiration from Europe which rallied around Turkey after the destructive earthquakes to bring the much-needed relief and humanitarian aid to the people of Turkey.
He said Africa should demonstrate to the world that the African Union and its Organs are not mere talk shows, but effective institutions which stand up when it matters most.
“Alone, it may take us a lifetime to fully recover, but together, in the Pan-Africanist spirit of Ubuntu, our lives and livelihoods will return to a semblance of normality in record time. This is the time to live by our operative mantra, “One Africa, One Voice.” Mikiya concluded.