- Sethodi confirms resignation, says he is paving way for heir
- Makes farewell address at Chanoga Kgotla today
- Denies any links to the BDP parliamentary candidacy in Maun East
- BDP yet to announce candidate for the constituency
Kgosi Oateng Sethodi of Chanoga Village is expected to bid farewell to the villagers this morning (Friday) following his resignation from the position; atleast this much he has confirmed. While his resignation coincides with the BDP, still to field a candidate for the Maun East constituency in coming general elections Sethodi vehemently denies any links to BDP’s candidacy in the constituency.
Sethodi, who is also a Member of Ntlo ya Kgosi revealed in an interview that his resignation was purely to pave way for the rightful heir of the Chanoga chieftaincy, former Kgosi’s son, Kabo Sekopo 31, whom he has held fort for since 2012.
According to Sethodi, when Kgosi Thapietsile Sekopo retired from office in 2012, he requested him (Sethodi) who is his sister’s son, to hold fort as his children especially his boy child, Kabo who was young. Kgosi Sekopo however passed away in June 2024.
To drive his point home, Sethodi noted that there have been allegations that he was hanging onto the throne while the rightful heir has become of age, adding he has never refused to step down as he was aware all along that he held fort for Kabo as tasked by his uncle then.
When asked about his political affiliation with the BDP Sethodi explained he has not had any discussions with anyone from the ruling party about the Maun East constituency. He flatly denied any link to politics, let alone BDP despite the timing and coincidence of his resignation.
But political pundits, who have been reading the jostling and shoving among the BDP ranks in the constituency since the vetting out of the three prospective candidates’ businessman and former regional Chairman Reaboka Mbulawa, former Maun East MP and junior minister Konstantinos Markus, and businessman Chris Bethia by the Central Committee will only believe Sethodi when the name of the BDP candidate is announced – and it is not him.
They argue that the timing of his resignation could not have been of such a coincidence, after all, they posit, he could have waited until after the elections to resign and avoid causing any undue confusion among his people.
But if it’s not Sethodi, then who is the BDP candidate for Maun East, and why has it taken the party long to announce the name?
Maun East, became the star and controversial constituency for the BDP when, among all 61 constituencies – all its prospective candidates were vetted out. Since then, different narratives have been driven from various fronts – advancing the interests of some of those vetted out and had hopes of being called back to represent the constituency.
It is also alleged that some begged the constituents to pray to the party leadership for their pardon so they are allowed to stand against incumbent Maun East Member of Parliament Goretetse Kekgonegile from the Botswana Congress Party.
Though BDP Secretary General Kavis Kario recently informed this publication that after they are done their primary elections, an announcement will be made on who has been selected that has not been the case.
Kario had in a previous interview confirmed that they have received a complaint letter regarding the delays of resolving Maun East matter however he indicated that he was not handling the issues.
BDP concluded its primaries in July, that were conducted in two different set with the first 35 branches voting on the 20th July 2024 and the last set of 26 branches voting on the 27th July 2024.
