THE BOTSWANA GAZEttE WEDNESDAY 14 OCTOBER 2020 BNF WITHDRAWSPAGE 1 MOATLHODI SUSPENSION BDP confirms discussions to lure back Moatlhodi PAGE 8 EDNESDAY CTOBER SINCE 1984 W 14 O 2020 FREE! “Kitso ke maatla” PARLIAMENT SENDS FIA AWAY OVER P100BN SAGA • FIA refuses to explain what their role was and if indeed the money is missing • FIA director says the law prevents him from sharing information with third parties • Parliament accuses FIA director of disrespect STORY ON PAGE 3 MISA URGES GOv’T TO BAIL OUT PRIVATE MEDIA PAGE 14 CHURCHES DECRY DWINDLING Bmd The ‘Odd MAN OUT’ At FINANCIAL INCOME PAGE 5 OPPOSITION TALKS PAGE 2 With Standard Chartered you can get short term working capital funding given against a valid Purchase Order. Standard Chartered PO Financing offers your business: • Financing up to 6 months • No financial submission – only 6 months bank statements required Have a valid Purchase Order • Cession of Payment used as collateral It’s simple. We take care of the details to power your business ambition. that needs financing? For more information talk to your Branch, Relationship Manager or No Problem. email [email protected] sc.com/bw Terms and Conditions apply PAGE 2 NEWS WEDNESDAY 14 OCTOBER 2020 THE BOTSWANA GAZETTE cooperation on by-elections. The move is expected to pave the way for further cooperation and their possible UDC Convenors Out In The Cold inclusion in the UDC. Sources say the talks have already begun, although informally. UDC spokesman Moeti Mohwasa has told this pub- As Opposition Talks Begin lication that the UDC convenors will not be oversee- ing the negotiations with BPF and AP. “The convenors only oversaw the birth of the first UDC,” Mohwasa said. • Nobody is telling us anything While the fresh talks between the parties have begun, the convenors, Lebang Mpotokwane and Emang Maph- “To tell you the truth, we don’t - Mpotokwane anyane, have told The Botswana Gazette that they last know what is happening within the heard from UDC president, Duma Boko, in 2018. • The talks will be self-mediated Since then, Mpotokwane noted, the two men have UDC,” Mpotokwane stated. “We never heard from the coalition Umbrella for Democrat- - Mohwasa ic Change or been briefed by anyone from what is the don’t know our position regarding two men’s tour de force. “To tell you the truth, we don’t TEFO PHEAGE know what is happening within the UDC,” Mpotokwane whether we are still a part of them stated. “We don’t know our position regarding whether resh opposition talks to bring the Alliance for Pro- we are still a part of them or not because nobody tells or not because nobody tells us gressives (AP) and the Botswana Patriotic Front us anything.” (BPF) into the UDC fold are likely to take off He pronounced himself in support of opposition unity anything.” F but without the BPF because, according to him, its sole without the convenors who played an instrumental role “The negotiations between the old UDC and the BCP in uniting the opposition into a definitive bloc. ambition seems to be discrediting or removing President were self-mediated. The same will happen with the cur- The spokesman of the UDC, Moeti Mohwasa, has Mokgweetsi Masisi from office. rent talks.” confirmed that the convenors will not be involved this UDC president Duma Boko revealed over the week- Yet the conveners say there needs to be closure to the time around. end that the AP and BPF had written to the UDC on relationship and a way forward. BMD The ‘Odd Man Out’ At Opposition Talks • UDC is the brainchild of the BMD – Modubule • BMD was expelled from UDC – Saleshando • AP does not rule out cooperating with BMD LETLHOGILE MPUANG lished. were like-minded with us,” said AP vice president Wyn- The Chairman of the party, Nehemiah Modubule, re- ter Mmolotsi. he Botswana vealed this week that the BMD was yet to receive an in- “And the mandate was clear that it should not be the Movement vitation to the talks. “We are very interested,” he told this BMD. Unfortunately, we were unable to achieve that be- Tfor Democ- publication. “We have not been approached by anyone fore the 2019 elections. We will receive a fresh mandate racy (BMD) has but we should state it for the record that the Umbrella for from members at our next congress. If we are given the been excluded from Democratic Change (UDC) is an initiative of the BMD.” mandate to work with them, we will start the process. We negotiations for opposi- Even so, Modubule said that the party awaits direction are a member-driven establishment.” tion parties to merge into a from members; “Because of COVID-19, we could not formidable force way ahead have our congress this year,” he noted. “It is our mem- UDC vice president Dumelang of the 2024 general elec- bers who will give us a fresh mandate. It is a very tricky tions, The Botswa- one, more so that we have been expelled from the UDC.” Saleshando said it was not na Gazette UDC vice president Dumelang Saleshando said it was has es- not surprising that the BMD is excluded. “They were surprising that the BMD is tab- recently expelled,” Saleshando noted. “Maybe that ex- plains why they are not a part of these talks.” excluded. “They were recently He said there has never been any resolution taken re- expelled,” Saleshando noted. garding differences between the two entities. “I do not want to speculate,” he said in response to a question about the possibility of the UDC and the BMD working “Maybe that explains why they are together. not a part of these talks.” Meanwhile, the Alliance for Progressives (AP) - which was once a part of the BMD - has not ruled out The BMD was expelled from the UDC in late 2018 for prospects of future cooperation with the gross misconduct, leaving the coalition with three con- BMD despite the knotty history of the tracting partners, namely the Botswana National Front two. “At our last congress, we were (BNF), the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) and the Bo- given a mandate to look for people who we tswana People’s Party (BPP). 74867020 The Benefits of Selling Your property at Auction • Expedites the sale and sets a certain date [email protected] • Attract serious, qualified buyers Creating Wealth & Investment Opportunities for all www.segodiauctions.co.bw • Unique approach creates a buzz about your property Tonota - Guide Price P230,000 Francistown, Block 10 - Guide Price P600,000 Tati Siding, New Stands - Guide Price P400,000 Tati Siding, New Stands - Guide Price P490,000 Gaborone, Block 7 - Guide Price P900,000 • Plot size 1,000m2 • Bult-Up area Ca. 70m2 • Plot size 1,004m2 • Bult-Up area Ca. 187m2 • Plot size 1,080m2 • Bult-Up area Ca. 145m2 • Plot size 800m2 • Bult-Up area Ca. 178m2 • Plot size 325m2 • Bult-Up area Ca.184m2 • Spacious plot • Easy access to major facilities • Good quality finishes all-round • Tarred road frontage • Exquisite finishes all-round • Tarred road acess • 3 beds; master ensuite,air-con in all bedrooms • Delightful home with stunning finishes • Lounge • 2 well designed apartments • Fitted kitchens • 3 bedrooms (master ensuite) • Lounge with fireplace • 3 bedrooms with cupboards • Lounge • Dining • Fitted kitchen • Spacious lounge with air-con • 3 bedrooms (master ensuite) • Exquisite kitchen • Spacious bedrooms • Bathrooms § Call 74867020 § • Fitted kitchen • Staff Quarters § • Call 74867020 § • Fitted kitchen • Bathroom § • Call 74867020 § • Entertainment area/ lapa § • Call 74867020 § • Double garage • Staff Quarters § • Call 74867020 § Auction: Tuesday 20th October 2020 at 10:00am Auction: Tuesday 20th October 2020 at 2:30pm Auction: Wednesday 21st October 2020 at 10:00am Auction: Wednesday 21st October 2020 at 12:00pm Auction: Friday 6th November 2020 at 10:00am THE BOTSWANA GAZEttE WEDNESDAY 14 OCTOBER 2020 NEWS PAGE 3 Parliament Sends FIA Away Over P100bn Saga • FIA refuses to explain what their role was and if indeed the money is missing • FIA director says the law prevents him from sharing information with third parties • Parliament accuses FIA director of disrespect TEFO PHEAGE try’s GDP. However, Sethibe would have he Parliamentary Com- none of it and insisted that the mittee of Governance law does not allow him to share Tand Oversight last week information about his work, dismissed the Director of the Fi- particularly not with third par- nancial Intelligence Committee ties. Whereupon the committee (FIA) from its presence after he accused Sethibe of deliberately declined to answer its questions misinterpreting the law in order about the P100 billion that al- to avoid answering its ques- legedly went missing from the tions, which they said to be Bank of Botswana and is now general in nature and could not the subject of a high profile offend against the principle of court case. sub-judice. They told Sethibe that they The committee said were not asking him to go into it could not be right details of the case but merely wanted a general overview as that FIA should come has been the case with the Bank of Botswana that has since said before Parliament it is not aware of any money and not be asked missing within its custody. The parliamentary counsel about the money and members of the committee subsequently said FIA should which is estimated be excused to go and consult to be half of the further on the matter. “I have consulted on this matter and country’s GDP. I have been advised that FIA should be excused and attend FIA boss Abraham Sethibe with a senior lawyer on this was asked to state what his or- matter so that they can advise ganisation’s role was and to this committee better at the next confirm or deny whether he is appearance,” said Parliamenta- aware of the case or not.