Tawana’s regiment won’t forget BDP’s insults

Kgosi Tawana Moremi’s regiment, Matsaakgang is not letting sleeping dogs lie regarding a recent incident in which their Kgosi kgolo was ‘insulted’ during a political rally addressed by President Ian Khama in Maun just before the general election.

Khama and his entourage addressed the rallies in the two Maun constituencies of Maun East and Maun West where Tawana Moremi’s ex-wife was apparently paraded before the crowd of Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) faithful. The president was quoted in the local media saying that he is helping take care of Kgosi Tawana’s children, adding that Tawana is leading a troubled life. “I am not here to encourage you to hate your chief but to tell you that he is not fit for political office,” Khama was quoted in The Monitor newspaper.

Moremi however went on to win the Maun West constituency, beating the BDP’s Reaboka Mbulawa and Botswana Congress Party’s (BCP) George Lubinda. Now Matsaakgang want to raise their concerns regarding the issue. They feel their Kgosi was insulted undeservedly. “He remains our Kgosi Kgolo he needs to be respected, the fact that he has been loaned to politics does not lend him to disrespect,” the regiment’s spokesperson Douglas Mokenane told Botswana Guardian in an interview. He said their role as a regiment is to protect Moremi as Kgosi Kgolo. “We are not engaging in politics but we want to protect the image of Bogosi,” he argued.

Matsaakgang are particularly concerned by some comments which were attributed to the BDP campaign manager Alec Seametso going into the election. He called Moremi an irresponsible tribal leader who has failed in the family and business fronts. Mokenane said as a Mophato and by extension as a morafhe they felt insulted by Seametso. The regiment was to approach the BaTawana Bogosi and discuss the matter further. “We want Bogosi to escalate this matter,” he noted. The regiment is expected to meet with Moremi’s uncles and Batawana regent Kealetile Moremi to map the way forward.

Matsaakgang is proposing that a delegation be appointed and dispatched to President Khama to register their displeasure. “We will register our displeasure with Khama who is also the Bangwato Paramount Chief.” The mephato also want to engage the traditional authorities of GaNgwaketse (to which Seametso is a member), and BaNgwato.