BDP investigates leaked sabotage plot linked to Markus
Former minister and member of Parliament for Maun East, Costantino Markus is likely to face disciplinary hearing after he allegedly connived with a group of members of his party in an attempt to collapse a branch congress quorum in Maun last week Thursday.
The branch congress was a meeting to elect delegates that would represent Maun East at a Botswana Democratic Party Special Congress next weekend in Palapye.
A leaked WhatsApp voice note from an alleged campaign group has been circulating on social media platform with someone sounding like Markus thanking his supporters for participating in a plot to collapse the branch quorum and went further to assure the saboteurs of his full support.
“I don’t regret what we did yesterday by not participating, the intention was to collapse the quorum. Although it did not collapse I am glad we did not participate in a crooked election nonetheless. I am very very glad that we proved that we do not subscribe to such kind of rules and regulations made by one person to overrule the constitution of Botswana Democratic Party and this is exactly what he is doing,” Markus alleged voice note said.
The speaker further mentioned that since his team is not going to Palapye for the BDP national congress set for 1st to 2nd September, he would no longer hire a bus he had promised his team, but instead he will go on holiday and pass by Palapye on his way back.
A team member who was allegedly disappointed at the cancellation of free transport to Palapye is said to have leaked the note.”You don’t leave people in the lurch at the first smell of defeat, they jump ship and sell you out, that is a game of politics, loyalty is key,” said a source.
Meanwhile the North West region under which Markus constituency falls held a regional congress in Gumare over the weekend and appointed a disciplinary committee of five members to investigate the matter for possible disciplinary hearing.
Confirming the matter, regional chairperson Reaboka Mbulawa said he was aware of the allegations and a voice note making rounds in which a voice similar to that of Markus is heard plotting a deliberate move by a group of democrats to snub a special congress in Maun East last week Thursday.
“It is true such an issue surfaced at a recent regional congress. Reports are that there was someone who attempted to collapse a special congress quorum. If it is true that the voice noted belongs to the suspected person then it will be a very unfortunate situation,” explained Mbulawa.
Without mentioning names Mbulawa further said, “I have also listened to the voice note and the intention is very clear, to collapse the quorum and to an extend the party structures, but we are glad that the bad intention failed. Nonetheless I believe that serious action must be taken to avoid a repeat of this kind of behaviour.”
Maun East is one branch in North West District which has been embroiled in internal bickering for some time with allegations of sabotage and back-biting reports rife among party members. Last week the branch held a special congress on Thursday to elect delegates for the regional congress which was held in Gumare on Saturday.
It was during the branch congress that about 35 Democrats are said to have missed the meeting and unconfirmed reports are that they were having a good time at Parkview hotel, owned by Markus, while the meeting was in progress at BOFWA facilities on the other side of Maun.
“We were told that most of the members who were missing from the congress, especially those from Makalamabedi were at Parkview,” added ward Chairperson from Makalamabedi, Lethabile Mabote.
Both Markus and Mbulawa are sworn known rivals for Maun East Parliamentary seat with high chances of the two titans battling it out against each other at the party’s primary elections commonly known as Bulela-ditswe.
