BG correspondent

Three councillors in the North West District from the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) have allegedly resigned this Wednesday to join the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD).
The BDP is faced with a mass exodus of councillors from its ranks to join its breakaway party in that region and more defections will be announced this weekend at a BMD’s “mother of all rallies”.
The councillors, who resigned on Wednesday, are Pelokgale Monyame of Kubung Ward in the Maun West constituency; Allen Sokwe from Tsau and Lekopanye Ledimo of Kareng. Sokwe and Ledimo are from the Ngami constituency.
BMD’s chairman, Gomolemo Motswaledi, said in a telephone interview from Maun that preparations for the Maun rally are going according to plans.
He also confirmed the defections. “We have already received three councillors this morning from the BDP and we hope we will attract more people as the week progresses,” he said.
He said all the BMD MPs would be giving speeches at the rally.  Former minister, Bahiti Temane, will also grace the rally and deliver a speech.
Sources in Maun have told this publication that the BDP risks losing at least nine councillors to the BMD.  Should this happen, the BDP would lose control of the North West District Council. According to sources, Tawana Moremi of Maun West will lose about three councillors (which is half of the BDP councillors in the constituency) to the new party.  He has so far lost one to the new party.
In the Ngami constituency – a former BDP stronghold but which is now in the hands of the opposition Botswana Congress Party (BCP) – three councillors were said to be on their way to the BMD. Two have so far defected.
The BDP is also hard hit in the Okavango constituency where another three of its councillors are also planning to cross to the BMD. All the said councillors were sympathisers of the Barata Phathi faction.
The three in Okavango are said to be in consultation with former BDP MP for the area, Vister Moruti. “They want to meet Moruti first before they can make their move,” said the source.  One councillor in the Okavango who is also a close friend of Moruti wants the BMD to address his voters before he crosses.
According to the source as things stand only Maun East is safe from the expected defections. Maun East is under Frank Ramsden who is the minister of Transport and Communications. Other councillors who are rumoured to be moving to the BMD in Ngami are councillors for Sehitwa and Kareng Wards respectively. 
There are currently 47 councillors in the North West with the BDP having 32 while the opposition has only 15. If the nine cross, the combined opposition of BMD, BCP and the Botswana National Front (BNF) will then have 24 councillors while the ruling party will remain with 23.