Khama’s ‘Batalaote’ joke could backfire

Well, now the nation knows why the late Mompati Sebogodi Merafhe and his fellow tribesman, Ponatshego H. Kedikilwe were appointed Vice President one after the other.

Certainly, according to President Ian Khama, speaking at the weekend of Merafhe’s funeral, it wasn’t based on merit, but was in fact an act of “retaliation,” against the Batalaote tribe whose tribesmen have for a long time bossed him. When Merafhe was Commander of Botswana Defence Force (BDF) Khama served as his No. 2. And when Merafhe joined politics and was appointed Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration and later Foreign Affairs Minister, Khama still had to answer to him! To make matters worse Khama still had to contend with playing second fiddle to yet another Motalaote, former President Festus Mogae, who appointed him (Khama) Vice President in 1998.

And so, when he finally assumed state presidency in 2008, Khama used the opportunity to ‘settle scores’ with all the Batalaote tribesmen who had been his military or political masters at one time. He appointed Merafhe his Vice President and when he succumbed to ill health in 2012, brought in Ponatshego Kedikilwe to hold the fort, so he could get his revenge on the tribe! As for Mogae, who gracefully bowed out of politics, “Well I am his president!” he joked heartily and managed to break the tension at the funeral in the Botalaote ward. But will politicians and social commentators think this just as another Khama joke, or will they tear him apart? Politics by its very nature thrives on perception, and Khama may as well have invited his party and government to intense public scrutiny regarding appointments to key government positions.

It is significant that since Independence in 1966 the country’s presidency has predominantly been a Serowe affair, with Sir Ketumile Masire (1980-1998) largely regarded by the BaNgwato tribes-people as a “regent” holding the reigns for their anointed King, Ian Khama Seretse Khama who at the time was at the barracks. As for the Vice Presidency, Maisre, a MoNgwaketse from Goo Motebejane ward in Kanye was Sir Seretse Khama’s long time second in command and when he also ascended to the Presidency, showed sensitivity to regional balance when he appointed Lenyeletse Seretse, a Serowe tribesman, as his Vice President. When the elderly Lenyeletse Seretse died, Masire cast his eyes to the south of Dibete and appointed the late Peter Mmusi, a tribesman of Manyana as VP. And dogged by infighting and factions in his party, Maisre would later settle for someone neutral, when he plucked Festus Mogae from the civil service to serve as his No. 2.

And it would be Mogae, who would also settle for a Military strategist and former Commander of the BDF, Ian Khama as his second in command. After last year’s narrow victory at the national polls Khama then brought in Mokweetsi Masisi, a native of Moshupa as his No. 2, most likely to diffuse simmering political tension within sections of the party, which felt that government appointments were being used to reward loyalty and also perhaps to maintain a semblance of regional balance between the north and south of the country.

On a whole, of all the country’s four presidents, three have come from the North and precisely Serowe. As for all the country’s eight Vice Presidents, only three- Masire, Mmusi and now Masisi-have come from the South with the rest (five) coming from Serowe, three of them from Botalaote ward. It is in this context that President Ian Khama’s light-hearted joke may be received, in which case this could prove contentious going forward.