Khama, Masisi reconciliation collapses
● “Masisi is disrespectful and has ignored us” – Khama’s uncles. ● “In their mind they still think Khama is the president” - Autlwetse
Domestically it is now official that efforts to reconcile former President Ian Khama and his successor President Mokgweetsi Masisi have collapsed. After their fruitless efforts to offer mediation and restore unity, royal Bangwato uncles have given up on the initiatives to meet Masisi about the issue. In a press statement released this week, Kgosi Mokhutshwane Sekgoma, on behalf of the royals, expressed that Masisi has ignored and shown them ambiguous dishonesty and disrespect.
With the ongoing investigations carried out by the Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS) against Khama, who is on a self-imposed exile in South Africa, the rift continues to widen between the once close allies.
In the past four years, it has been an open and sad reality for Botswana that Masisi and Khama have not been reading from the same script. In fact, before Bangwato royals attempted to reconcile the two, in 2019 prior to Khama leaving the ruling party, Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) Council of Elders met and tried to reconcile Masisi and Khama but to no avail. The elders who included Patrick Balopi, Ponatshego Kedikilwe, David Magang and the late Ray Molomo tried to broker a peace deal between Masisi and Khama, but their efforts were fruitless.
Fast forward to early this year, Khama’s uncles motivated by the current DIS investigations against him attempted to have a conversation with President Masisi over their son and leader. Masisi instead sent the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Kgotla Autlwetse to mediate on his behalf.
Infuriated by Masisi’s lack of reply to their requested meeting, the Bangwato royals this week disclosed that they are disappointed that Masisi decided to relegate the issue to Autlwetse. “Our second bone of contention with the President’s attitude was that he has relegated a matter that was for his personal attention to his conflicted emissary in Autlwetse, who is a Mongwato subject of Khama and therefore, neither qualified to adjudicate on an issue of his master nor acceptable to us as the royal uncles on the account of cultural fact and protocol,” further reads their statement.
Sekgoma said their issue was not even supposed to be classified as a chieftainship matter, but they instead wanted to talk to Masisi at the level of elders in the belief that the latter understood that this would be the way to resolve the stand-off. “We made this all clear to Autlwetse and could therefore, not engage with him any further,” he said.
Sekgoma indicated that they even restated their wish to meet with Masisi directly in preparation for a possible sit down with Khama. “Regrettably we have up to now not received any reaction whatsoever from Masisi. He has simply ignored us,” he highlighted.
The royals added that they were deeply disappointed by the fact that Masisi went to their Kgotla last year and misled them into believing that he was sincere.
“We have respected all protocol as dictated by Masisi through his Permanent Secretary to the President. We have prevailed upon Bangwato to remain calm and not to react to offensives against their paramount chief and his family preferring to engage Masisi as the ultimate seat of authority that could help bring about peace.” The royals wanted to have a word with Masisi before Khama could be involved in a subsequent meeting.
Conversely in a telephone interview, Autlwetse told Mmegi that Masisi has never refused to meet for reconciliation. He said he does not understand what the royals are after since there was a clarification about the issue not so long ago. He also said the royals were told to bring Khama to the meeting and that was the only way Masisi could agree to a reconciliation meeting. Autlwetse said the royals are afraid to relay the same message to Khama.
He said what the royals said about him being conflicted is just their opinion because they cannot stand the fact that he is a minister.
“I am the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development,” he said. “Therefore, these issues fall under my ministry. They should understand that these are reconciliation talks not a trial.”
Autlwetse cited incidences in the past where the minister as the adjudicator met Kgosi Kgafela and Kgosi Seepapitso on behalf of the President. He said the problem with the Bangwato royals is that they want to dictate their own terms and receive special treatment.
“That’s not how the government operates and they know that. Bangwato are no different from other tribes in Botswana. They want to have their way just because they are Bangwato and their actions show that they have the intention to defy government. They are my tribesmen, but I am failing to understand what they really want,” he said. Autlwetse added that if they really wanted these reconciliation talks to happen then they would not be pushing for a meeting without Khama.
“Some of them want to politicise this issue and they want to seek political mileage. They are far from reconciliation because it is like they are pushing for Khama to stay in exile. They are enjoying this,” he said.
Autlwetse noted that the Bangwato royals should accept that he is the minister and Masisi is the President. “They are in denial; in their mind they still think Khama is the president.”
The Bangwato royals have now made it clear that they will consult with the people and deal with the matter themselves.
Speaking of dealing with matters, some of Bangwato tribesmen were recently heard uttering threats to Masisi amongst them the suggestion to bewitch the man from Moshupa.
Some of the Khama loyalists and defenders have publicly demanded that the DIS immediately stop its barbaric and unreasonable acts.
They want the DIS and Masisi to stop harassing and cracking down on their Kgosi. They feel that if the DIS investigation continues on a wrong path it may eventually backfire.
They also believe that this is a sinister script to embarrass and browbeat Khama. The loyalists are worried that public utterances being witnessed are dangerous for the prevailing peace and tranquillity in the country and cannot be taken lightly.
Asked to comment on the threats uttered in the Bangwato Kgotla recently, Autlwetse said the royals are entertaining this when they should be showing them the right path.
“Jaaka boeteledipele ba tshwanetse ba kgalema ope fela yoo tswang mo tseleng.” He said the royals are now making excuses and assumptions that Khama could be killed or arrested if he comes to Botswana for the meeting.
“They are pushing these alleged threats on Khama’s life. Masisi cannot kill and has never killed anyone, so they have nothing to fear,” Autlwetse said.
As his uncles take a decision to give up on the reconciliation talks, Khama claims that Masisi has refused every effort made to bring this matter to an end.
“There have been attempts regionally and back home to try to reach out to each other and reconcile, but at every attempt he is the one who doesn’t come to the party because he is scared of meeting me,” Khama blatantly told the
eNCA in an interview this week.
He said Masisi does not want to meet for reconciliation talks because the latter knows that in the process of any mediator he (Khama) is going to expose and embarrass him.