Gammangwato Royal tensions re-surface
There has been tensions within the royal Gammangwato family over the running of affairs in the royal house. Things escalated when former President who is also Kgosi of Gammangwato, Ian Khama fled the country to neighbouring South Africa.
Khama has been overseeing the running of Bogosi while in South Africa but it has since proven difficult due to his absence physically. Things worsened last year when government took a decision not to allow the royal uncles to use the Kgotla to give updates on Bogosi as per instructions from Khama.
This resulted in the former Regent Kgosi Sediegeng Kgamane being suspended and later fired from office for allowing the royal uncles to use the Kgotla to give morafe updates from Khama. It has been the government’s argument that the uncles are using the Kgotla for political purposes.
This week history is expected to repeat itself as the royal uncles have revealed that they will be holding a meeting at the Serowe main Kgotla to address Khama’s subjects on issues of Bogosi and on what Khama has decided regarding the issue of Bogosi in Gammangwato especially for the seat of regent.
Botswana Guardian has established that the uncles have fallen out with the current acting regent, Serogola Seretse. He is being accused of refusing to work harmoniously with the royal uncles for the improvement of Tribal affairs.
This week Kgosi Seretse rejected a request by the royal uncles to use the Kgotla on Saturday. In the rejection letter seen by this publication Kgosi Seretse stated that the main Kgotla is regrettably not available for “your usage on the mentioned date and time.”
He did not however give reasons for the rejection. In an interview with this publication Kgosi Seretse stated that he did not call any kgotla meeting and as the custodian of the main kgotla he cannot avail it to anyone willy-nilly without concrete reasons.
He expressed worry that whenever the kgotla is availed to those who made the request the meetings turn political. He wondered why the royal uncles will even want to have the meeting on a Saturday when people will be engaging in other social activities in the village.
Kgosi Seretse is convinced that the purported meeting is only meant to serve a political purpose.
“I am the only one who is allowed to call a meeting in this Kgotla. This place is not for political gatherings, it is to serve the government and its people. If they want to have a political meeting they must meet somewhere,” he told this publication.
When told by this publication that the uncles are adamant on holding the meeting Kgosi Seretse emphasised that such would not happen. He said measures would be put in place should anyone try to break the law. There are processes and procedures that have to be followed by everyone and no one is above the law, he added.
Following an indoor meeting held in Serowe on Tuesday this week by the royal uncles, the spokesperson Rasebolai Kgamane said they are forging ahead with the meeting. He confirmed that they received a rejection letter from Kgosi Seretse.
He said they have followed all the steps as royal uncles to request to be availed the kgotla to address “these pressing issues of Bogosi Ba-gammangwato”.
He told this publication that they have also notified the District Commissioner’s office and the Officer Commanding’s office about the meeting and its intended purpose.
“We notified these offices so that there could not be any confusion with regards to the purpose of the meeting. We will be updating morafe on the issues of Bogosi Ba-gammangwato as is the norm and culture. This is not a political gathering as others seem to purport,” Kgamane said.
Kgamane said it is unfortunate that their relationship with Kgosi Serogola Seretse with whom they come a long way, seem to have deteriorated.
According to Kgamane they have tried to engage Seretse on several occasions on issues of bogosi but to no success. He said this broken relationship explains why in all they do with him, “we do that in writing.”
Added Kgamane, “as a royal family we should be doing that because we have to meet from time to time to discuss tribal issues. But in any case we are going ahead with the meeting, he will not stop us because that is not his kgotla.
“The problem is when in a kgotla meeting and mention Khama they conclude that it is politics just because he belongs to a certain political party. The truth of the matter is even if he is a politician you cannot take off the Bogosi hat from him, it is his birth-right.
“There is no how you can discuss issues of bogosi in Gammangwato and not mention Khama. He is our Kgosikgolo,” Kgamane stressed.