Maun High Court will next week Friday deliver a ruling relating to the political leadership stand-off at the North West District Council (NWDC).
This follows last Thursday’s urgent application by former Council Chairperson, Kebareeditse Ntsogotho, and his deputy- Lekonne Masoko, who are protesting their dismissal from office which was done through a vote of no confidence.
Presiding over the matter, Justice Bugalo Maripe expressed concern that the judiciary has been brought into the business of politicians but nonetheless promised that by Friday next week he would deliver the judgment.
In the case, both Ntsogotho and Masoko of Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), are challenging a special full council resolution made on June 2nd, 2023 to unceremoniously oust them from office.
The duo were subsequently replaced by new elected leadership, Itumeleng Kelebetseng of Botswana Congress Party (BCP) as Chairperson and Nico Folae of Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) as Deputy Chairperson.
They were voted by 20 votes against six of UDC and arguments before court suggested that Ntsogotho and Masoko are crying foul over the loss of power to lead the council and the financial prejudice that comes with being fired without prior notice.
The new leadership, through their attorneys, maintained that the case was in fact a much ado about nothing. “They are complaining simply because they lost a political contest. They are seeking to have a rematch,” contended Martin Dingake of Dingake lawfirm who represents Kelebetseng in the matter.
The other contention was that even if the court was to order a rematch, there was a high chance that the complainants will not be re-elected as “politics is a game of numbers after all,” noted Dingake.