Following a series of letters on the party’s letterhead calling for re-instatement of the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) president Biggie Butale, the man has finally resurfaced.

Butale has come out to say he is back on his seat despite the party only reinstating him as an ordinary member.

It is not raining but pouring at the last born of Botswana politics, the BPF. While the party pulled off an impressive performance by winning three parliamentary seats in a short period, the wheels are now falling off with factional fights rising. Yet again, while patron, Ian Khama who led the party alongside Butale to the good performance had said he would be taking a backseat, he could not hold back anymore and wants his founding president back.

News has been rife that former Palapye legislator, Moiseraele Goya and former Tati East legislator, Samson Moyo Guma who both arrived late at the party, are battling it out for the BPF presidency. Butale told a visibly Khama-backed press conference on Wednesday that he was back to reclaim his seat.

It was clear that Khama was behind the press conference as his loyalists including Iphemele Kgokgothwane and Forster Seretse were amongst those in attendance. Butale also had good things to say about Khama stating that their fall off was fabricated. As if that was not a link enough, Khama’s Facebook page streamed the press conference live.

Before he could announce that he was back in the leadership, Butale attempted to set the record straight and clear his name on the alleged sexual harassment of a female party cadre. Butale stated that he was set up with his party colleague (name withheld) by individuals he said he would finally report to the police so that his name would be cleared in court.

“There are those within the BPF and intelligence services who were behind this plot. On the fateful day, it coincidentally happened that my family members were not present when she came to my house for assistance with their campaign for BUAN elections. We just spoke about their campaign, she expressed her frustrations regarding the campaign and we hugged before I then took her to school,” he said.

The former assistant Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry further revealed that it was only after almost a month that he learnt that he was reported for sexual assault to the party and the police. Butale further said the scheming also involved editing of recordings that implicated him and were said to be recorded by Khama. “I was called by two DIS agents who convinced me that Khama was indeed behind the recording. This further proves the DIS was involved in all this. I was angry that Khama could do this to me and that is when I met President Mokgweetsi Masisi. I was shocked when Khama would then call me offering to help with reconciliation. It would then come clear to me that Khama was not involved in the scheme,” he said. Butale vowed that he would clear his name by reporting to the police and taking the matter to court.

He also said with the guidance of his lawyer, he was able to establish that lifting his suspension meant that he was back as BPF president and did not waste time to announce what would happen.

He said all planned BPF central committee meetings and any events would be cancelled; all those representing the BPF at cooperation talks with other opposition parties have their mandate being rescinded. He also said he would meet all legislators and councilors. He further said he would call a central committee meeting for purposes of trying to take out the party from the crisis they are in. BPF publicity secretary Lawrence Ookeditse laughed off Butale’s claims: “That hopeless press briefing calls into question the integrity and mental capacity of the speaker. They wasted time while their minds are not aligned with their actions.”