Khama’s retirement plans revealed
Dikarabo Ramadubu
BG reporter
President Lieutenant General Ian Khama who continues to receive a shot in the arm as Batswana increase his cattle herd will certainly pursue his long time passion of farming on full time basis when he retires from office on April 1, BG News has established.
Khama’s parents the late Sir Seretse and Lady Ruth Khama were cattle barons and farmers of repute in different places around the country.
Seretse had farms in Boteti, Ngwato, Kweneng, Tswapong where he kept livestock and ploughed. The farms were inherited by his children who have since leased, sold or kept some.
BG News has reliably learnt that, Ian Khama has continued his multipurpose farming up to this stage, but decided to give priority to the civil service.
Khama has personal farms in Taukome near Serowe where he has high breed cattle, goats and sheep. He currently has a horticultural farm as well as ploughing field in the Tswapong area and has won many prices in profit making activities like bee-hiving. Some have been asking questions on what will Khama who has been turned into one of the biggest cattle barons in the country do with his large cattle herd and small livestock presents that he continues to receive as he bids the nation farewell given that he does not have land or farm to rear them.
Some said that he is likely to apply for land to make a farm and rear his livestock. Speaking to BG News, Senior Private Secretary, Brigadier George Tlhalerwa stated that Khama has many options which include buying, leasing or applying for land where he can do his farming business.
Tlhalerwa said that Khama’s parents had farming land and farms in some of the areas such as Boteti- Kweneng and Tswapong. As a family they are still doing farming in some of these places. “He has farms in areas such as Taukome where he has livestock. It must also be remembered that he has horticultural and bee keeping farms that enable him to win many prices in competition”.
Brigadier Tlhalerwa said so far President Khama has not yet indicated where he is going to apply for the land and has since requested his many friends who have the means to host his livestock.
“He has not yet decided on his master plan. But, knowing him, he is going to rear them. But he may get rid of some purely for management purposes as well as for environmental purposes.
“As I speak to you, the President has not indicated where he would like to have his farm, but he is considering many options including buying private farms, leasing and applying for land,” said Tlhalerwa.
It is expected Khama will get more cattle of high breed from the three Serowe constituencies and Gantsi which he is expected to visit. The arrangement is that Khama who doubles as President and Kgosikgolo of Bamangwato will visit the three Serowe constituencies before concluding at the man Kgotla at a later stage.
So far, all the constituencies that he visited have contributed cattle and small lives stock, save for the Lerala constituency who gave him a tractor, trailer and farming implements worth over P400.000.00. The Lerala constituents opted for the route after consultation in a Kgotla meeting where it was agreed that since they do not have many cattle unlike in other constituencies, then they must contribute money to buy him farming machinery.
