BPF members threatened to burn me inside my house – Seretse
Acting regent of the Bangwato tribe, Serogola Seretse says his life is in constant danger from arsonists and possibly murderers.
He told a Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) campaign rally on Sunday at Palamaokuwe in Serowe west constituency.
He was giving welcome remarks to the mainly BDP faithful at the event to launch Moemedi Dijeng who is the party candidate for the impending by-election scheduled for Saturday 8th.
The Guest Speaker was the Vice President, Slumber Tsogwane. Serogola has been complaining about insecurity to his life and property since the fallout between former President Ian Khama and his successor, President Mokgweetsi Masisi back in 2019.
The Ian Khama-led group in the Bangwato schism concerning Khama on the one hand and Masisi on the other, support Peter Seretse Khama at the expense of Serogola who is himself the government’s choice.
“I am worried about Botswana. I have been targeted several times by BPF (Botswana Patriotic Front) members who threatened to burn me inside my house. The same opposition party has threatened to kill Kgosi Gasebalwe.
“The threats were followed by the burning of my house to ashes. Remember that Autlwetse’s house and car were burnt to ashes too,” the Acting regent reminded his audience.
He went on to link the destruction of government property in Selibe Phikwe and, more recently, the destruction of the boys’ hostel at Nata to political hooliganism occasioned by his nemesis, the BPF.
According to the Bangwato regent, his office secretary once got a visitor who threatened to ‘deal’ with her.
“Similar threats have been made to Kgosi Gasebalwe Seretse. The frequency of these attacks should tell you that these are not the deeds of petty criminals. The attacks are politically motivated,” Serogola said.
He would like to see the perpetrators pursued because the lives of the targeted individuals cannot be replaced.
“I have since relocated and feel safer where I stay. The culprits are hell-bent on destroying our peace as a country,” Serogola said to a bemused audience.
“My hope is that the criminal activities do not escalate and spread to the other parts of the country at the expense of security,” bemoaned the Acting regent who feels the perpetrators should be apprehended and brought to book.
Interestingly, when addressing the same rally later, the Minister of Finance Peggy Serame, called upon the Serowe west voters to vote for the ruling party 'to safeguard our peace as a country because, as the ruling party, we are the custodians of this country’s peace.”
So volatile must be the Serowe enclave that towards the end of the programme, former MP Keletso Rakhudu advised the director of ceremonies and those yet to speak, to be mindful of the fact that it was getting dark and with the opposition activists lurking around, nobody knew what could happen!