Africa-Press – Botswana. Suspended Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) president, Biggie Butale is likely to resume his duties as leader of the party soon.
Butale was slapped with a suspension by the BPF late last year after being accused of sexually violating a student party activist. He, however, has maintained his innocence and is of the view that the allegations against him are a political witchhunt.
The party’s national executive committee (NEC) held a meeting on Monday and one of the key agenda items was Butale’s case.
Sources have said at the meeting, a resolution was taken that the party’s recently appointed disciplinary committee (DC) facilitates a reconciliation meeting between Butale and his alleged victim.
“The NEC has given the new DC two weeks to have facilitated a reconciliation meeting between Butale and his accuser. If the meeting is successful, Butale will be reinstated as the party president,” an insider at BPF told.
The sources also allege that at the meeting, some of Butale’s supporters wanted him to be reinstated right away but some felt that if he was to be reinstated without any form of action, such a move would portray the party in bad light.
Following this, a decision was eventually taken to organise the reconciliation meeting that will determine Butale’s future.
His hearing has been postponed several times, a development that has irked some of his backers in the central committee and other party structures.
The party’s NEC representative for the northern region, James Kgalajwe is amongst those who have reportedly been vocal against the organisation’s reluctance to call Butale for a hearing.
Butale’s supporters believe that he is being disadvantaged (by not being timely called for a hearing).
The BPF NEC has in the past acknowledged that it has failed to handle Butale’s hearing within a reasonable time. Nearly two months ago, the NEC dissolved its DC on grounds that it has failed to timely handle Butale’s hearing. Then it was established that the DC had not been active which is among the reasons why Butale’s hearing never materialised.
The NEC found that only three of the seven people were active in the committee. A new DC, led by Peter Kgothwane, was immediately constituted.
The possible return of Butale might further stabilise the country’s youngest political party formed towards the 2019 General Election. The suspension of Butale had polarised a party that is an offshoot of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP).
This week BPF spokesperson, Lawrence Ookeditse denied swelling reports that the party’s DC has been instructed to facilitate the reconciliation meeting between Butale and his accuser. This is even though multiple sources maintain a contrary position.
“That (reconciliation) would be for the parties to the issue and the DC to determine. It cannot be a determination of us as the NEC. The DC is independent and cannot be told what to do. The NEC only advised them to expedite the closure of the matter. It is only fair that they conclude in the soonest,” he said.
Meanwhile, Butale was not keen to comment on the development only preferring to comment once his matter is concluded.
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