Masisi hopeful of reconciliation with Khama
President Mokgweetsi Masisi has called for a truce with former president Ian Khama, who has been on a self-imposed exile in South Africa for a year now.
Masisi expressed hope that one day they will find a common ground and forgive each other for the benefit of the country. He explained that Khama has done his part for the country and has to be applauded for that.
Speaking in Shoshong during the official welcome of Member of Parliament Aubrey Lesaso into Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), Masisi said he has supported Khama during his reign.
He stated that like other former Presidents, Khama has to be applauded and recognised in terms of the contributions he made during his time as the head of state.
“We all know what happened during the era of Khama as head of state. During his tenure there was recession. The country, as part of the global community went through a difficult time.
“In 2011 there was a massive public sector strike. Public Servants were demanding a salary hike but the country was going through a rough time. We had to think and think hard in terms of what would be the right thing to do.
“He stood firm and did not agree to the demands by the unions. I supported him on that decision together with other ministers,” Masisi said.
He said as a result of that decision by Khama, the country managed to rise from the economic crisis. At that time Masisi was minister of Presidential Affairs. Masisi stated that he still remains hopeful that they will reconcile.
“I love him, I supported him as president of the country and of the BDP, but you should ask to be mindful of what he says,” Masisi told the multitudes that attended the welcome celebration.
The feud between the current and former presidents started during the early days after Masisi became head of state in April 2018. For a long time both leaders did not disclose what fuelled the tension between them.
It was only last year during the BDP National Congress in Tsabong that Masisi revealed that one of the reasons for the burnt bridges between them was that he refused to appoint Khama’s younger brother Tshekedi Khama as Vice President of the country.
What came as a surprise to many was when Khama’s close ally and legal advisor Parks Tafa took to the podium and shared what he termed “unfortunate incidents”.
President Masisi told the congress that he is not making anything up and the central committee members were there even at the time when Khama wanted to continue as President of the BDP when Masisi took over as
president of the country.
President Masisi stated that Khama made it clear in a central committee meeting that he has to continue as the president of the party, as he was given such a mandate from 2014 to 2019. The president also seized the moment to call on members of the central committee to support what he said.
Former Secretary General Mpho Balopi stated in his report to the congress that during the 50 years of existence, the party has never experienced contest for the position of Party President, even though the constitution allows for it. He told the congress that in 2018 and 2019 some incidents changed this.
“One incident was a suggestion by the then National Strategy Team that the party should adopt the former president as the face of the 2019 general election campaign.
“I, as the secretary general and supervisor of sub-committees then, opposed the suggestion by citing not only precedence or practice, but also Article 34 which states who the face of the party should be.
“The other was the former president’s assertion that there was uncertainty as to whether he should remain as party president or not. He brought this to the attention of the central committee and even instructed those legal opinions on the matter be sought.
“The central committee after protracted discussions clearly guided on the matter as there was never a time whereby any party president resigned as a result of the end of his term as State President," Balopi said.