Rev. Dr. Dibeela to challenge Boko for BNF presidency
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In an anticipated turn of events, the Botswana National Front (BNF) Vice President Reverend Dr. Prince Dibeela is challenging the incumbent party President Duma Boko at the coming elective congress scheduled for July.
The congress comes few months after the just ended 2019 General Elections in which the opposition Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) failed to win power in the contentious elections. An affiliate of UDC, Botswana National Front (BNF) is the nucleus of the Umbrella party, and has been leading it since its official formation in 2012, and therefore very central in the shape and form of UDC.
Following a humiliating loss at the polls, Dibeela confirmed his intention to challenge Boko in an exclusive interview with WeekendPost this week after keeping a low profile for some time. “I am challenging him, without a doubt,” he asserted to this publication. He would not be drawn into further details citing party regulations. However this comes at a time when UDC leader Boko has previously said in 2019 if the UDC does not perform well at the elections he will resign, the sentiment which he has defaulted on for unclear reasons.
“But if he resigns, that’s fine. It means I will automatically become the President until next elective congress,” Dibeela told this publication last year in preparation for this year’s congress, adding that Boko said so many other things that did not come to pass and therefore he can never trust his word. The former Mmathethe/Molapowabojang BNF of UDC candidate highlighted then that if the BNF leader who also doubles as the UDC President doesn’t resign as promised “I will challenge him and I am sure other people will as well because he has done too much damage.”
The BNF Vice President hinted ahead of last year’s elections, some in the party members threatened to leave the party to form a new party proposed as Social Democratic Party but, “I told them that Boko is a temporary irritant. And so we are not going anywhere. The system will spit him out.” The reverend contended then that BNF could have split long time ago but he protected it because he understood that “even though he (Boko) is like this, he has a massive following especially among people on social media who don’t know what is happening on the ground.”
He added: “I saw a possible split in the BNF if we overthrow him even though so many people making the majority in the Central Committee have long wanted to pass a motion of no confidence on him.” “At that time we were 18 in the Central Committee and those who supported me were 12. And so we had clear majority at the time. So we could have easily won. So that is what we wanted to do but the timing was never right.”
Dibeela continued: “you remember that joke which was said to be the UDC congress held at Fairgrounds, that thing was a mess. They wanted to pass a vote of no confidence on him after that but it was clear his stooges were aware of that and ready to fight and so there was going to be a split, I said to them that I don’t want to be part of that.” The renowned politician-cum-pastor predicted last year that Boko will probably lose his Bonnington North constituency ‘as his character did not resonate well with the constituents and ordinary people.’
“He thinks because of his name as a brand (well established lawyer and Advocate) he will win. But he demeans people and cares less. He is pompous,” he said. In Dibeela’s lobby list, he is deputised by Dr. Patrick Molutsi. The proposed Chairperson is Kagiso Tshekega while Secretary General is Noah Salakae. Nelson Ramaotwana is tipped for the position of Deputy Secretary General; Treasurer is Olebeng Watshipi and Organising is Tona Mooketsi.
A surprising feature is Kago Mokotedi standing in for Publicity. Mokotedi has been a staunch Boko supporter and a member of “fear fokol” cabal who defended Boko through thick and thin and bet their lives with his name. It is unclear when Mokotedi and Boko broke ranks.
For Political and Labour is Shawn Ntlhaile and Eitlhopha Mokeresete and Calmon Mogalakwe is running for the International Affairs portfolio of the BNF. For Economic Affairs, Tlamelo Shadikong will stand together with Happy Bashe for Health. The pastor’s lobby list is themed “team restoration; returning the BNF to its revolutionary culture.”
Meanwhile incumbent leader Boko has themed his lobby list “organisational stability and integrity towards 2024 elections.” In the lobby, Micus Chimbombi assists the incumbent; and Dr Molutsi appears as a campaigner for chairpersonship. For Secretary General, Ketlhalefile Motshegwa has thrown in his name in the ring while Kenneth Segokgo is contesting for the Treasure General of the party. Happy Bashe is contesting for Deputy Secretary General portfolio with Incumbent Publicity Secretary Justin Hunyepa trying to defend his position.
Andrew Motsamai is tipped to be Health Secretary and Victor Phologolo for Labour Secretary. For Organising Secretary and Economic Affairs the lobby will send Tabona Masole and Ontatlhile Selatlho. Motsumi Marobela is vying for Political Education.
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BPS, Mosala Funeral Parlour butt heads over SA national remains
A squabble has broken out between Pule Mosala Funeral Parlour and the Botswana Police Service (BPS) over the remains of a South African national who has been in the Mosala mortuary for more than nineteen months. The deceased was one of 10 suspects who were controversially shot dead during a lengthy shootout with law enforcement authorities in Gaborone’s Phase 2 early last year.
The deceased individual’s family based in Soweto, has encountered difficulties in repatriating the body which has been in the care of Mosala Mortuary Services. Following the incident, it has emerged that all 10 bodies were transported to PFG mortuary in Lobatse for a brief period while the police attempted to locate their next of kin. It is reported that the families of the deceased were eventually identified and informed to come and identify their loved ones, including other South African nationals who were part of the criminal group. These families also witnessed the autopsy procedures conducted at Princess Marina Hospital in Gaborone.
Except for the family from Soweto, nine of the bodies were claimed and taken by their separate relatives. The Soweto family claims they lack the resources to bring the body back to South Africa and has made it known that they are looking for money. To end the supposed verbal agreement over the body’s storage for repatriation, Mosala Funeral Service has filed a case against the police at the Lobatse High Court.
According to Keakantse Mmotlhana, the company’s Sales and Marketing Manager, 10 people who were killed in Phase 2 by gunfire were all temporarily transferred to one of PFG’s branches in Lobatse by the police while efforts were made to find their next of kin. She expressed outrage at the statement made by the Minister of Defense and Security, recently.
After Assistant Police Commissioner Dipheko Motube called her office to apologize for giving the Minister wrong information during a news conference, she confirmed that they had accepted the apologies. He made it clear that one of the victims was still at Pule Mortuary in Lobatse.
Bushie Mosala, the director and owner of Mosala Funeral Services, confirmed that the body of a South African national has been in his mortuary for the past nineteen months. He expressed his desire for the police to remove the corpse from the mortuary, characterising the situation as a “nightmare.” He has instructed his legal team to file a lawsuit against the police in the Lobatse High Court concerning the body.
Mosala urged the acting Police Commissioner to come forward and apologize to the nation for the situation, asserting that the public has the right to know the truth regarding the body of the South African national, w
C -002Bhich was preserved by the police as evidence.
The South African High Commission in Gaborone had not responded to queries from Weekend Post at the time going of going to press.
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BOSETU frustrated by Gov’t new dispute winning strategy
Botswana Sectors of Teachers Union (BOSETU) has expressed alarm over a troubling trend by the government. Tobokani Rari, Secretary General of the BOSETU, stated that it appears that these days, whenever there is a dispute between workers and the government, the administration is fast to run to the courts to attempt and muffle unions.
“This is quite disturbing development, we have seen it with the Botswana Doctors Union, there was a disagreement over the shift allowance, government rushed to court, they indeed got order that was saying the doctors should go and do the work. We have seen it with the nurses, they rushed to court they got the order, we are now seeing it with the teachers, they rushed to the court and they got what they wanted,” said Rari, who also served as the Secretary General of BOFEPUSU.
Rari raised concerns that the government’s enforcement of teacher’s work, through a court order will result in reduced classroom productivity and morale. Rari added that this situation would negatively impact labour relations and teachers emotional wellbeing due to dissatisfaction in their work places leading to persistently poor academic outcomes.
“You can get an order that forces people to work, but what happens at work, it heightens emotions, it destroys relationships and the morale goes down and productivity does. Courts and judgments don’t solve productivity issues. Productivity only comes when people are satisfied at the workplace, so if you force them to work through a court order then you may not get the maximum out of the working population,” said Rari
MESD vs BOSETU COURT CASE
“As you are aware, the Ministry of Education approached courts and they were demanding three things from the court in this case between BOSETU and the ministry. First, they were demanding that the joint letter that was written by BOSETU and Botswana Teachers Union (BTU) asking members to stop doing course work because there was no agreement be declared unlawfully and BOSETU should write to its members and withdraw that letter within 24hrs. The second thing that they were looking for, was to interdict BOSETU from further issuing any instructions to that effect going forward. Lastly was that court should hold BOSETU to pay the cost of the lawsuit on a punitive scale,” Rari said.
Rari stated that the court decided to rule in favour of the Ministry of Education on all three relieves sought, that the savingram should be declared unlawful, that BOSETU should withdraw the contents savingram within 24hrs.
Court also said BOSETU should not issue any of such instructions going forward up until the case of contempt that BOSETU has taken to court, the contempt of the 2009 judgment has been decided. Court also awarded cost to the ministry on a punitive scale.
“BOSETU is a law abiding citizen and therefore we are bound by any laws and judgments that are there in Botswana and arise on the courts of Botswana hence we have complied with the order. On the 31st after the court case, we wrote to all our members and told them that the contents of that savingram as far as coursework is concerned has been withdrawn,” said Rari.
Rari said what happened in this case is that the judge decided to listen to the urgency without the responding affidavits of the opposing party, BOSETU, and went on to rule the merit of the case, which surprised the union.
“However we have been in discussion with our lawyers because if we leave things like this, we feel like we cannot leave that unchallenged. We have taken a decision to appeal the judgment,” Rari confirmed.
2023 COURSEWORK AND INVIGILATION AGREEMENT
“We would like to make our members aware that the following day after the judgment, we were able to meet the Ministry of Education and we have arrived at a conclusion that we signed an agreement that coursework rates will be increased by 5%. If court had ruled that coursework is the duty of the teachers’ means it wouldn’t have been any agreement after the court case, it tells you that the issue is still open and it is on the table. We have arrived at an agreement that there is going to be an increment on all components of coursework and invigilation,” Rari pointed out.
Rari further explained that Article 2 says union party is to submit detailed proposals on the intensity of the coursework for further engagement. Intensity of coursework means where the coursework payment starts in terms of varying from different subjects. He said the outcome based subject that are taught Maun Senior Secondary School and Moeng college which are agriculture and hotel and tourism is that ministry have agreed and acknowledge that there are some peculiarity in their coursework and therefore should be paid in line with the peculiarities that are contained in their coursework.
CONGRESS RESOLUTION
Rari pointed out the resolutions taken at the conference where the issue of application of corporal punishment was addressed. “BOSETU will issue out a memo to their members to advise them that they should not apply corporal punishment, they should leave it to be applied in line with the Education Act.”
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BMC sees red as mass buffaloes disrupt plans to supply schools
The Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) which had struck a deal with the Ministry of Education to supply some schools in the northern part of the country is counting losses as mass migration of buffalos jeopardize the Commission’s plans.
Information reaching this publication shows that the beef exporter was recently given the greenlight to supply government schools with beef. According to documents seen by this publication, as a result BMC had scheduled to buy and collect cattle in the Nata-Gweta and Boteti constituencies from 11 to 17 September.
This was after BMC and the Ministry of Education struck a deal for the former to supply government schools with beef. Letters exchanged between Ministry officials state that it has been recommended to the ministry to support BMC by allowing it to supply schools with beef products.
The Ministry indicated that it was aware that some schools have contracts that are currently running with suppliers such as local butcheries.
The Ministry revealed that at the same time BMC has 256 tins of frozen quality meat at its Maun Plant.
The Ministry requested the Director-Regional Operations to appoint an officer to manage the procurement of meat for schools that do not currently have running contracts. The Ministry further stated that Modalities of collection will be arranged between the region and the schools identified.
According to the Ministry, a list of schools including the condition of their cold rooms and their number of deliveries and kilograms per week they buy should be compiled. The Ministry also requested its officials to share the list with headquarters and the acting director-Basic Education, and engage BMC accordingly to procure.
But this plan ran into trouble after it emerged that between 300 to 500 buffalos migrated from the buffalo fence area to Nata, Dukwi and Mosetse areas.
The Department of Veterinary Services sprang into acting by revising movement protocol for cloven-hoofed animals with immediate effect following buffalo sightings in zone 3b which covers Nata/Sowa, zone 3c which is around the Dukwi areas as well as zone 6a, which covers the Mosetse area, which fall under zones, 3b, 3c, 5,6a and 8.
The Department of Veterinary Services indicated that as a result, movement of live cloven-hoofed animals and their products out of zones 3b, 3c, 5, 6a and 8 were prohibited and that movement of live cloven-hoofed animals within and into these zones is only allowed for direct slaughter at licensed slaughter facilities under veterinary movement permit issued through BAITS.
The department also indicated that the movement of fresh products derived from cloven-hoofed animals such as raw milk, skins and fresh meat into these zones is also only allowed under a similar arrangement.
Movement of live cloven-hoofed animals into these zones for rearing and other purposes will not be allowed, and farmers and the general public is requested to continue being vigilant and report any buffalo sightings to the nearest veterinary office, the police or the Department of Wildlife and National Parks, the department said.
Meanwhile the Ministry of Agriculture has stated that following the press release on prohibition of movement of live cloven-hooved animals and their products in and out of Zones 3b, 3c, 5, 6a & 8, the acting Minister of Agriculture Karabo Gare, his counterpart Acting Minister of Environment, Wildlife & Tourism Mabuse Pule, acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture Mr. Joshua Moloi, Director of Veterinary Services Dr Kefentse Motshegwa and other government officials visited the areas of Sepako and Dukwi respectively on a mission to consult with communities regarding the invasion of the places by buffalos.
Minister Gare alluded that they have been sent by the President of Botswana, who is equally worried by the current situation. He noted that the affected areas have a total of around 300000 cattle and if the situation goes unchecked, there might be detrimental effects on the economy of this country.
He encouraged the communities to help government going forward by reporting any spotted buffalos in their areas, emphasizing that buffalos are dangerous and can kill people and that care should be exercised at all times.
The Director of Veterinary Services mentioned that they closed the above mentioned zones to allow for testing of buffalos & cattle for foot & mouth disease. The wildlife department’s Director Mr. Moremi Batshabang assured farmers and the community that they will eliminate small clusters of buffalos found within communities and translocate larger clusters to ensure their safety.