Khama to make Mosu his retirement village?
The Youth Empowerment Scheme (YES) which was introduced to help the youth get necessary work experience has now turned into hell for the beneficiaries.
In a meeting addressed by deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Abuse rampant at YES programme Youth say not paid for four months Culture (the programme’s brainchild) in Francistown on Tuesday, the youth complained of abuse they suffer at the hands of their superiors at the ministries they are attached to.
“Since we were attached to different government departments we have not been paid our monthly allowances and when we ask about the payments it becomes a problem,’’ cried a youth attached to department of Consumers Affairs. Staff at the department of Consumers Affairs label them as ‘MaYes’ instead of calling them by their names as it is the norm in any workplace, revealed one youth to the shocked MYSC deputy PS Peter Mongwaketse. They complained
of physical and emotional abuse, as the staff abdicate their work and leave everything to the attached youth without guiding them. Tholego Kgosiemang, a spokesperson of the YES beneficiaries, told Mongwaketse that they have been informed that they are not entitled to maternity and study leave. “We are forced to work after hours and when we ask for overtime allowance, they tell us that we are not on gov.
He has popularised it with his frequent visits here. The village is home to Makgakgadi pans and close to Lekhubu Island one of the main tourist attractions in Botswana. Historically, it is where Kgosi Kgama III, the great grandfather to president Khama was born in 1837 before they moved out to Shoshong fleeing attacks by the Ndebeles. President Khama is also known as Khama IV.
The recent report that Botswana Defence Force (BDF) is building an airstrip at the sleepy village has triggered rumours that the Bangwato chief might dump his home village of Serowe in preference of the ancestral home of Mosu. The construction of the airstrip is said to be part of the preparation to make the village more habitable for the president.
Although he has not built an extravagant house in Mosu, it is expected that construction of a presidential house will soon follow after the airstrip construction. During the handing over of houses for destitute persons in Mosu over the weekend, President Khama hinted where he will stay after his retirement as the first citizen of Botswana.
“You are my neighbours and maybe I will become your Member of Parliament when I retire as a president,’’ he joked. Even as being the area MP was a joke, it has become clear that Khama prefers Mosu than Serowe and Shakawe where he also has a holiday home at the Dikgosi Island. After the handover ceremony, president Khama who was accompanied by his younger brother Anthony Khama and Thapelo Olopeng headed to his house on the Makgadikgadi edge and left on Sunday. Sources within the Ngwato royal house have revealed that Khama spends more time in Mosu than in Serowe. “The only time he spends more time in Serowe is during the Christmas Day party that he hosts every year but the following day he heads for Mosu. As for other holidays he is always there (Mosu).’’ While his predecessor Festus Mogae has built a multimillion mansion in Serowe, Khama is not expected to follow him and his trusted former Vice President Mompati Merafhe
who is now a permanent resident of Serowe. Unlike in Mosu where he has a house, Khama does not own one in Serowe but uses the family home which he shares with his siblings.
