- It has been a year since SKI went into self-exile
- TK, Anthony are planning to return home before end of this month
- SKI’s home is still sealed by the secret service
LETLHOGILE MPUANG
The Member of Parliament for Serowe West Tshekedi Khama and his twin brother Anthony are reportedly planning to return home sometime before the end of this month.
Sources close to the Khama uncles in Serowe say Tshekedi and Anthony have been contemplating returning to Botswana for some time now.
Almost all, if not all, remaining members of the Seretse branch of Khama family have relocated to South Africa following allegations of harassment by President Mokgweetsi Masisi’s administration.
Tshekedi, his family, and Anthony fled the country in March after they were detained and questioned by the Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS) in relation to corruption allegations.
“One of the reasons why ‘TK’ (Tshekedi) seems to be under pressure to come back home is that he is needed by his constituency,” a source close to the Khama uncles in Serowe said. “People in his constituents have been asking when he will return.”
Last July Parliament ruled that MPs cannot participate in virtual parliamentary proceedings from outside Botswana.
In addition, Standing Orders state that an MP who misses three parliamentary sittings automatically loses their seat, resulting in a bye-election to fill the vacancy. As it stands, ‘TK’ has already missed one parliamentary sitting (July-September).
A motivation for Anthony’s probable return is said to be because of his recent appeal victory against DIS early this month. The secret service had seized some of his property, saying he was also a subject of an ongoing corruption investigation.
His lawyer, Tebogo Tladi of Ramalepa Attorneys, has told The Botswana Gazette that Anthony has yet to communicate his possible return date.
However, suspended Kgosi of BaNgwato, Sediegeng Kgamane, also stated that he was unaware of the Khama’s return.
Meanwhile, The Botswana Gazette is reliably informed that former president Ian Khama does not have any plans to come back home any time soon. It is understood that his reason remains that he does not have a place to stay here because his official residence is still sealed by DIS pending conclusion of his court case for possession of illegal firearms and weapons of war.
The former fled Botswana in November 2021 claiming that DIS had hatched a plot to eliminate him.
The CEO of SKI Khama Foundation, Mogomotsi Kaboyamodimo, was not available to comment at the time of going to press.