Khama Please Come Home

“Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.” But the gospel of Luke tells us that, his father ordered his servants to bring him the “finest robe” and slaughter a “fattened calf.”

The father is recorded to have said, “let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.”

That is exactly what we would be expecting when former president, Ian Khama comes back from his self- imposed exile in South Africa.

We will be expecting nothing short of a fully state- sponsored music festival to welcome our very own ‘ prodigal’ son. As to exactly what Khama is doing in South Africa is best left to his host, Cyril Ramaphosa.

However, what still puzzles even the most seasoned security analysts is, how did Khama arrive at a conclusion that he would be safe in South Africa than Botswana. I mean, this conclusion is not supported by anything on earth, let alone crime statistics.

Just in case, you are in doubt, in his release of

Quarter Two Crime Statistics 2021/ 2022 South African Police Minister General Bheki Cele stated that 6 163 people were killed in South Africa between July 2021 to end of September 2021.

As if that is not scary enough, Cele reported an increase in aggravated robberies such as carjacking. Further, he reported 2000 kidnapping cases and approximately 10 000 rape cases in the reporting period.

Therefore, for Khama to find South Africa a reasonable place of refuge is very absurd to say the least. It would leave even South Africans speechless.

As far as crime intelligence is concerned, it is mostly criminals that flee Botswana to seek ‘ refuge’ in South Africa.

We can cite the likes of Thato ‘ The Bomber’ Gaopatwe and Tsogo Semadi just to mention but a few, who fled Botswana for ‘ safe haven’ South Africa.

That is so because Botswana is unapologetically intolerant to crime.

However, as a place of refuge, Botswana has been known for that, long before the Afrikaner white supremacists enacted apartheid. Even during the Mfecane, tribal groups that were fleeing Zulus, sought refuge among Tswana groups. Fast- forward to apartheid period, Botswana opened its territory to African National Congress ( ANC) in its entirety. We did that even at the detriment of our national security. Despite frequent mortar shelling and parcel bombs, we remained committed to housing Umkhonto we Sizwe operatives.

I mean, we do not have to qualify our role in the liberation struggle, Nelson Mandela’s house and Samora Machel Museum all in Lobatse, stand as our unequivocal witnesses. Of course, we do not expect Ramaphosa to relate with all this. Is he even ANC?

It is therefore, awkward for Khama to abandon not only his country, but even Bangwato to seek refuge in ‘ Gangsters’ Paradise.’ It is abundantly self- evident that whatever agenda Khama set out to pursue, has not materialised beyond hypocrisylaced SABC interviews.

Khama has travelled length and breadth of the world preaching his antiMasisi and anti- Botswana gospel, but has gotten very few converts.

I am of the view that, he has really done enough damage to himself and that it is time he packs his bags and comes home.

We dearly miss him. Motswana says, “Goora motho, go thebe phatshwa,” that is, there is no place sweeter than home. I cannot stop playing Chicco Twala’s ‘ We miss you Manelo’ song, as I anxiously await Khama’s arrival.