Pressure mounts on Khama to quit active politics
BagaMmangwato want Kgosikgolo and former President Ian Khama to quit active politics and concentrate on being a statesman and focus on his Morafe.
Khama returned to active politics in a space of less than two years after handing over the baton to President Mokgweetsi Masisi in April 2018. He is now the Patron of Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) which was formed in June 2019 less than four months into in the general election.
Khama fled to neighbouring South Africa in 2021, after a bitter fallout with his hand-picked successor, President Masisi.
The call for Khama to return home and quit active politics was made during a Kgotla meeting called by Acting Regent Kgosi Serogola Seretse. Seretse was the first to speak in the meeting where he had called Morafe to discuss issues affecting them and their assets among them the Trust. He called on Khama to leave politics which he said has so far tainted his name and image.
Serogola has since been assigned to engage other Dikgosi in GaMmangwato on the matter and select a delegation that would be sent to meet Khama in South Africa to convince him to quit. The argument is that the current standoff between Khama and government is fuelled by the fact that upon vacating the high office he returned to politics and worse, joined the opposition.
Kgosi Serogola Seretse told Botswana Guardian in an interview that he called for Khama to quit because they have observed that he is fighting a losing battle against government. He noted that they see the frustrations that their Kgosikgolo is going through because of the fight against government.
“We are doing this out of concern. I am leading this chorus because I see that this politics thing is the one which is likely to have landed us here. We want him to come back home to focus on being a statesman like the likes of former President Festus Mogae.
“We also want him to come home to focus on his Morafe and assets. His assets especially livestock, we hear, are not well taken care of since his departure to South Africa. He has to be here to ensure his assets including property are being looked after and do not lose value,” Kgosi Seretse explained.
Kgosi Seretse who recently got entangled in an alleged plot to overthrow the Khamas from the throne stated that he supports Khama 100 percent when it comes to issues of Morafe and Bogosi. He expressed concern that some people are misleading Khama for personal gain.
According to Kgosi Seretse, those who support Khama in his fight against government and continued participation in active politics are not doing that because they love or value him.
“We know about such people and what their interest is. Their interest is not for Kgosikgolo but those are their personal interests. They are using his generosity and popularity to push their own agenda.
“What we as Morafe want for him is peace, love and good health. These fights have not only put a strain on him but on us all as BagaMmangwato. All we want is unity in GaMmangwato as Magosi but this has also divided Bogosi in our area,” a worried Kgosi Seretse lamented.
He said Khama should come back and take his rightful place both in the Kgotla and government. According to Kgosi Seretse they feel they have to take over the matter as Magosi and ask Kgosikgolo to quit politics as the only solution since reconciliation between him and President Masisi through the Royal uncles has not borne any fruit.
He argued that quitting is the only option given the toxicity of politics which other people use to attack and insult Kgosikgolo. He expressed hope that Khama will accede to their plea and quit politics for himself and his Morafe.
Contacted for comment, Khama said he is not aware and “anyway any meeting convened by Kgosi Seretse would have a sponsored agenda handed to him by the regime.” He argued that if Kgosi Seretse has beliefs that he (Khama) should retire from active politics and focus on being a statesman and look after his Morafe, the beliefs are planted in his head by the regime.
According to Khama, it is true that the government is fighting him.
“That is very true but they are the ones, Masisi in particular, who caused me to leave BDP and join BPF and to become active in politics at a time when I had stepped down from engaging in politics with great relief only to have to return due to widespread persecution,” he revealed. He said since he is not aware of any pleas from Morafe for him to quit politics he cannot say he could consider such. He acknowledged that quitting politics might end the alleged harassment from government especially law enforcement agencies in particular the Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS) as he has claimed.
“But why should I as a citizen who is entitled to be in politics be solely targeted? Like I said, they drove me into it, they created the BPF, and only they can end what they started,” the former president argued.
He told this publication that as far as he is concerned his assets are being taken care of “except for those in my official residence which is being illegally occupied and interfered with despite the Court of Appeal ruling.” He said he has not yet worked out the loss of value to his property if any. Khama has been living in a self-imposed exile in South Africa and said he fears for his safety should he come back home.
He is currently facing a number of charges including the unlawful possession of firearms. Ever since the matter reached court, Khama has not appeared in any court since he is in South Africa. The prosecution has since applied for a warrant of arrest against him.