Distances itself from formation of BPF
GAZETTE REPORTER
The BaNgwato royal family will not divulge details of their closed door meeting with President Mokgweetsi Masisi in Serowe last week.
This comes after the two parties reportedly met in an effort to end tensions between former president Ian Khama and President Masisi.
Although Masisi left Bangwato without saying much about the animus between himself and his predecessor, saying only that he would not talk about an elder’s issue in public, it is understood that some members of the BaNgwato royal family attempted to get him to commit to settling his long drawn out dispute with Khama but failed.
The outgoing BaNgwato regent, Sediegeng Kgamane, has also refused to be drawn on the matter: “I will not discuss these issues with the media because it is a sensitive matter,” Kgosi Kgamane said.
According to a source inside the royal family, Masisi gave them a vague response when asked if he would consider meeting with Khama to settle their issues. “The royal family has tried in vain to have the two settle their issues,” the source said. “Efforts were made even before the 2019 general elections but they failed to commit to a meeting.”
“Masisi has indicated that he made an effort to meet with his successor before but failed. BaNgwato, and by extension Batswana in general, would like to see the two in good terms again. Certain individuals are fuelling the dispute but they should be ignored primarily by the two because we cannot have two influential people who were once in good terms swayed by people whose agenda is unknown.”
“I blame neither of the two because what we want is unity despite the fact that they now belong to two different political parties. The royal family remains neutral on issues of politics and we have previously made it clear that we had nothing to do with formation of the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) even though some still link the party to the BaNgwato royal family.”