Serowe: A village teetering on political turmoil

Serowe, a village with a rich history of political significance and protests, has once again become the epicentre of unrest. The Serowe riot of 1952 remains a prime example of the Bangwato tribe expressing their frustrations at the kgotla, culminating in a significant confrontation. Today, a similar tension is brewing.

The ongoing political discord between President Mokgweetsi Masisi and former President Ian Khama has created a volatile situation. The two leaders have been at odds, each accusing the other of foul play. This animosity has now spilled over to the populace, who are taking to the streets, demanding either the immediate return of former President Khama or a thorough explanation from the government regarding the allegations against him that justify the perceived hostile response from the authorities.

WHY BALWELAKGOSI WAS FORMED

Balwelakgosi – translated to English means those who fight for the Chief. The group has indicated that they will not be silenced by guns, police armoured vehicles, arrests and detentions and will fight until they see the former President back in Botswana safely and the kgotla being opened up to them again. According to Chairperson of Balwelakgosi, Ronald Mojakgomo the main objective of the group is centred around being the voice of the Bammangwato tribe, confronting the abuse that former President Ian Khama suffers at the hands of government, Minister Kgotla Autlwetse and Kgosi Seretse Serogola.

He explained that uncles of the Bangwato royal family tried to engage the government and the Minister of Local Government on these issues but to no avail, then they decided to do something about it as a tribe. Mojakgomo said that Bangwato want an explanation from the government on their tussle with Khama, otherwise they will demand that the government stop harassing him as they have no valid reason to do so.

“Government and Kgosi Serogola block Bangwato from holding meetings in the Kgotla, they deny Members of Parliament the right to access the kgotla and they reject the person whom they have chosen to be Kgosi,” Mojakgomo explained. Mojakgomo said that the demand of Bangwato is to be allowed to choose their own Kgosi, use the Kgotla and for Khama to come back to Botswana and not be harassed by the government. Since the inception of the committee they have gone to various Bangwato villages consulting the Bangwato tribe and the consensus was that they will get whatever they want by any means necessary.

Mojakgomo said thrice the government has blocked them from using the Kgotla even though they want to use it for what it is meant for. He said it is shocking to see the government use weapons to block them. He said that Bangwato have decided that they will now face the government head on as it is evident that the Masisi-led government is fighting them. Days before the highly anticipated Sir Seretse Khama Marathon that was held in the village on Saturday, Mojakgomo said that Kgosi Serogola had refused to grant them access to the kgotla for their meeting scheduled for the same day.

They had thus resolved to just march to the kgotla to use it still, as they feel it belongs to the people. The aim had been to discuss the pressing issues that they had against the government, and to clean the kgotla as one of the celebratory activity venues for the Sir Seretse Khama Day. The group had decided to camp at the family home of former President Khama and besides marching to the main kgotla, they had a prayer service scheduled for Sunday and would lay a wreath at the tombstone of the founding president of the nation on Monday.

Serowe North Member of Parliament, Baratiwa Mathoothe said that it is a norm for Bangwato to gather at the kgotla around the time of the commemoration of Sir Seretse Khama Day and clean it. However, he said that of late the kgotla has been closed off from the people and Kgosi Serogola denies them the right to address people and give updates to people on national issues at the kgotla Mathoothe said that they will not stop requesting for the official use of the kgotla to conduct official government business. The Midweek Sun could not get hold of Kgosi Serogola as his office explained that he was in Gaborone, but in the past, he has along with government officials defended their stance on not allowing politicised gatherings at the kgotla.

They have cited the previous meetings that were allowed at the kgotla as having been turned into platforms of abusive language towards authorities, where the groups conducting the kgotla meetings coming with placards that carried messages of hatred and of a political nature. Those who marched to the kgotla this past weekend also carried placards with messages that warned President Masisi to back off their Kgosikgolo, with others saying their kgotla belonged to them.

THE SATURDAY SAGA

Staying true to their promise, on Saturday the Balwelakgosi movement, armed with placards and song, marched from the residence of the former President to the main Kgotla. The group was led by the chairperson Mojakgomo. When they arrived at the main kgotla they found police barricading the entrance to the kgotla.

The group sat down on the road and were told to disperse and a verbal altercation ensued between Mojakgomo and Special Support Group (SSG) police, which led to his arrest and that of other leaders of the group. Other leaders of the group who questioned the arrest of Mojakgomo were also arrested at the scene.

Following the instructions and warnings from the police, the group reluctantly and slowly began to make its way back to the Khama residence amid song and dance. As the singing and chanting intensified with the group still lingering in the prohibited area, SSG officers broke the crowd up by arresting those who were still singing on the scene, some old people were beaten up in the process and those that were detained were largely the elderly. The old women that were detained were released within two hours and their spirits were lifted as they explained that they would still fight for the return of their Kgosi with their lives. One elderly lady, Goitebetse Moeng from Mahalapye was among those that were arrested by the police but claimed to have been arrested while still waiting for the taxi at a taxi stop.

She said that they do not know where Khama is and they demand that government should let him come home. She said that they have resolved that they will fight for what they want even if it means fighting for it with their lives, they do not fear prison and nothing will divide them from the love they have for Khama. The group that headed back to the homestead of former President Khama was charged in their spirit, breaking into song and dance whilst they waited for an update from the group leader.

Vice Chairperson of Balwelakgosi, Kedibonye Motshidisi explained to The Midweek Sun that regardless of the arrests that were made the plans of the movement will go on. He accused the police of harassing and trying to intimidate them at night as they were camping at the Khama residence by coming in with armoured cars and driving around their camp recklessly. However, the Station Commander of Serowe Superintendent Poloko Oteng denied the allegations made by Motshidisi. He said that he was not aware of such incidents and that a case had not been opened on the above issue.

After being released on Monday, Mojakgomo said that they are waiting for the authorities to charge them as they have not been officially charged at this point. He explained that they were able to lay the wreath at the resting place of Sir Seretse Khama as they had planned to do so without any one disturbing them. In a public announcement on July 1st, the uncles of Ian Khama expressed concern over his absence and the impact on the tribe. They have consulted with Khama in Johannesburg, conveying the tribe’s strong desire, especially among the elderly, for his return to Botswana.

The Royal Uncles criticised the administration of President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi, alleging harassment, intimidation, and undermining Khama’s birth right and status as Kgosi of Gammangwato. They highlighted the government’s interference in tribal matters, such as the armed police presence at Kgotla meetings, the removal of Kgosi Sediegeng Kgamane, and the imposition of Serogola Seretse. They also cited the collapse of fabricated charges against Khama and harassment of his family. The Royal Uncles emphasised their constitutional right to assembly and free speech, denouncing the government’s actions as a vendetta against