All tribes must be equal - Nagafela
Botswana’s constitution is discriminatory – Filbert Nagafela
Botswana National Front’s former MP for Letlhakeng West Filbert Nagafela once shocked the nation when he declared in Parliament that he does not sing the national anthem. He speaks to EDWARD BULE and says he still stands by his words.
Amember of Botswana National Front (BNF), also former Member of Parliament (MP) for Letlhakeng West, Filbert Nagafela remains adamant that there is no tribal equality in this country. He says Tswana-speaking tribes are generally represented by their diKgosikgolo at the House of Chiefs while non-Setswana tribes are represented by people who are voted into office by the community.
When debating Amendment Bill 34 in 2005 the angry MP for Letlhakeng West, Nagafela raised an almighty storm of controversy in Parliament when he declared that he does not sing the National Anthem.
Nagafela is a member of the Bakgalagadi tribe. His sentiments, which some said were rather radical, were informed by the belief that, that Amendment Bill 34, which proposed to amend sections 77, 78 and 79 of the constitution, had failed to achieve tribal equality as expected especially by the victims of tribal discrimination in the country.
Nagafela argued that the Bill should have been amended such that no tribe has powers over another tribe.
In his view, the proposed Bill failed to address the discriminatory clauses of the constitution, which lists only eight tribes as the major tribes. “As a Mokgalagadi, my tribe remains unrecognised by the laws of this country. The Constitution discriminates against some tribes in our country. "Meanwhile, government claims we are all equal. We are not equal at all. There are some instances where even Setswana tribes have been made subjects of the other Setswana speaking tribes.
"For example, the Bakgatla of Moshupa are under Bangwaketse while the people of Thamaga are under Bakwena.
"These things need to be corrected," said Nagafela. According to the MP, the cosmetic changes by far fell short of his expectations as some of the tribes were still regarded as inferior under the constitution.
“I stand by my word. The nation is not treated equally. For example, those belonging to the Setswana stock are recognised by the Constitution while the non-Setswana ones are not. "The Setswana tribes are represented at the House of Chiefs by their hereditary leaders. "The rest of the tribes, such as the Bakgalagadi to which I belong have to elect somebody to the House of Chiefs at the district level and that person’s tenure of office is limited to five (5) years.
"The representatives are voted just like it is done with the Village Development Committee (VDC). "I do not think this will change even if the Constitution is amended. Mathata ke gore batho ba, ba tsaya gore ke badingwana ba lefatshe le,” said Nagafela without elaborating on who he is referring to. Nagafela has been in the political wilderness ever since losing to the BDP in 2014. He lost again to the same party in 2019.
Asked about his political future, Nagafela explained that he is still undecided on whether to retire from active politics or contest again in 2024.