GO KA TWENG: A question of power in Bangwato royalty
Go ka tweng? What a be tting question, in times of trial and tribulation in Gammangwato. It is doubtful that in composing the folk song, ‘ Go ka tweng?’ Mme Gaotswepe Robalang of Mmashoro, knew that at one point, it would be a hit song in modern dance halls.
Beautifully redone by Ezra Neethings, it has once again awakened the pertinent nature of the question, ‘ Go ka tweng?’ However, there is no doubt about the protest and the prophecy in the song. e song has gone on to become a portent prophecy of Bangwato royalty. A prophecy of things that were to come. A prophecy that for some reason, was not only ignored, but trashed.
As we sit here and see the prophecy unfolding in Serowe kgotla, we once again nd ourselves rummaging for answers in Mme Robalang’s song. Fervently wondering; ‘ Go ka tweng?’
In her opening verse, Mme Robalang laments, “A bo o se pelo ngwana wa ga Kgama, o nama o latlha morahe wa gago, o nama o latlha mahura a gago.” It was as if she knew that at one point, Bangwato Kgosikgolo, Ian Khama would have ed his people for the rugged terrain of the Kingdom of eSwatini. It was as if she knew, Ian Khama, the revered ‘ General Khama’ would be ghting royal battles far away from the battle eld. What is happening in Serowe is really disheartening.
If le to go on unabated, it would eventually undermine tribal unity and cohesion. Whatever Khama seeks to achieve by pitting his people against each other, he stands to be the loser. As far as I am concerned, he is ghting on too many fronts, and it is not sustainable. Khama has picked up a ght with his appointed Bangwato regent, Kgosi Serogola Seretse, whom he accuses of being President Masisi’s ‘ operative.’ On the other side, he has enduring court and out- of- court battles with government of Botswana. Compounding to his troubles, is his very ailing pet project, Botswana Patriotic Front ( BPF). As things stand, the nation is wondering as to what can really be done, ‘ Go ka tweng’ to deescalate the tension among Bangwato royals. But if history is anything to go by, it tells us that, the current troubles in the Ngwato royalty, is nothing more than history repeating itself. e recent scenes, are, but a footnote to earlier scenes in Serowe kgotla as captured by historian Michael Crowder in his un nished biography of Tshekedi Khama. Crowder writes of an altercation in Serowe kgotla in 1926, where Ratshosa brothers, Simon and Obiditse shot and wounded Tshekedi Khama with a revolver and Mauser ri e over a ‘ power struggle.’ It is recorded that; Tshekedi had sentenced three royals to “ogging for disrespect and refusal to obey his commands.” When the three refused ogging, the scene quickly ared, with Johnnie Ratshosa, “struck on the head with a chair and on the back with a stick,” leaving him “unconscious.” According to Crowder, following the assassination attempt, Tshekedi ordered his men to “burn the houses belonging to the three sons of Ratshosa.” e scene saw, “verandah posts and doors were hacked down, windows smashed, para n was poured on the contents and straw added to ensure a good re.” Further, Crowder highlights that, this psycho- graphy of entitlement, and being ‘ more equal than others,’ was nothing uncharacteristic, as from the time Khama came to the throne in 1875, he set about “transforming Gammangwato into a Christian state.” It is recorded that, Khama insisted that in return, the London Missionary Society should accept his authority in matters spiritual as well as temporal.
According to Crowder, Khama’s claim to be head of the Church in Gammangwato led to rivalry between Khama and a group of relatives led by his half- brothers, Raditladi and Mphoeng. e tussle ended with Raditladi seceding, and eventually being granted land in British South Africa Company Territory. e tragedy obtaining in Serowe is nothing new. e royalty has been plunged in incessant power struggles spanning centuries. Both the incumbent regent, Serogola Seretse and the wannabe, Seretse Peter Khama are but pawns, in the greater scheme of things.