MY HANDS ARE CLEAN

If there is one man revelling in the suspension of Kweneng Landboard Chairperson Kgang Kgang, it is veteran politician, also former Councillor for Gabane North East, Ofentse Mareme.

This is a man who has been very vocal about his disdain for Kgang. In-fact, during election period a few months back, he squarely made Kgang a key promise.

He at the time promised the people of Gabane-Mmankgodi constituency that if they send him to parliament, his first assignment will be making sure that the man packs and goes.

He blamed Kgang for the land mess that the people of Gabane found themselves in with their land stolen and no compensation offered whatsoever.

This was despite Kgang repeatedly explaining that his hands are clean, that all he has been doing was trying to clean up the deep-seated corruption he found at Mogoditshane Sub-Land board, where some officers were implicated in land theft.

Nonetheless, Kgang had a difficult time convincing the people about his ‘pure intentions’.

He was enemy number one before their eyes. Actually, in one meeting held at Gabane kgotla a few months ago, villagers walked out on Kgang.

Kgang had called the meeting to update locals about land use, long waiting lists, and compensation in kind issues. After his address, villagers started attacking him saying that they were homeless

because of him.

Fearing that the community response would soon take an ugly turn, the residents were told that Kgang would not entertain further comments.

Hearing this, the angry residents immediately dispersed, leaving Kgang and other village leaders seated in the Kgotla.

“Me and other people who were under Mogoditshane Sub-landboard are happy. We have been calling for his removal and finally it has happened.

“Though coming in late, we are happy he is suspended, we now want him to be thoroughly investigated and removed from office for good,” Mareme said this past Tuesday.

He added that contrary to popular belief, their call for Kgang’s removal from office was not politically motivated despite loud speculations that he was connected to the former ruling party, Botswana Democratic Party (BDP).

“We wanted him out because he did not do things accordingly. People lost their land and did not get compensated as promised.

“He had no respect for us, we were offended. The people of Gabane were in jubilant mood this past weekend, they even threw a celebratory party, that is how they badly wanted him out,” he said.

Kgang has been suspended by Lands and Agriculture Minister, Dr Micus Chimbombi. The grounds of his suspension remain unclear.

"It is true. I received the suspension letter. I have not been told reasons and period of suspension," Kgang said this week, further highlighting that he is not worried.

“I did not do any wrong. I have been informed that a pressure group from Gabane complained to the minister. I am fully aware that they were not happy with the truth I told them, that the law does not allow for an individual to have many residential plots while others remain without land," Kgang said.

The Midweek Sun has been reliably informed that while Kgang remains suspended, his replacement has already been found.

The lady tipped to take over is a popular Gabane resident and mother to one of Botswana's beauty queens.