- President never engaged Kgafela following his promise
- Kgafela wrote two letters to Masisi but received no response
By SESUPO RANTSIMAKO
President Mokgweetsi Masisi has not taken any action to bring back Kgosi Kgafela II of Bakgatla, despite his 2019 promise, The Botswana Gazette has learned.
Kgafela’s Letters Ignored
The spokesperson for Kgosi Kgafela II, Lebogang Mphalafale Maname, told this publication that Masisi has yet to make contact with them. “Masisi has never reached out to Kgosi Kgafela II regarding what he promised. Instead, Kgafela is the one who wrote to him in December 2021, requesting a meeting,” Maname said.
“In the letter, Kgafela expressed concerns that Masisi had used his name for the 2019 campaigns but remained silent on his promise. The president neither acknowledged nor responded to the letter. This June, Kgafela raised the issue again when addressing the position of Bakgatla Ba Ga Kgafela on the constitutional review,” he added.
Kgafela’s Discontent
In the latest letter Kgafela wrote to Masisi, he criticized the president for using his name and integrity for political gain. “We have observed a shameful trend among your party members, including yourself, where individuals use my name for political campaigns,” Kgafela wrote.
“The theme of ‘Bringing Kgafela Back Home’ has been used without addressing the real legislative issues. Your Excellency has even said you would not rest until I am back, but to date, you have not spoken to me. You visit people all over Botswana and the world, yet you have not made time to visit me, just 400km away. Your party’s rhetoric treats me like a stray poodle, available for anyone to grab and pose for a selfie, often with disrespect.”
Masisi’s 2019 Promise
Masisi initially raised the issue of bringing Kgafela home during the 2019 general election campaign, while launching Mmusi Kgafela. He vowed to fight to ensure Kgafela’s return and reiterated this promise at the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) National Congress the same year.
Kgafela relocated to South Africa after being charged with illegally flogging tribe members in 2012.
Despite promising to respond to The Botswana Gazette, the Director of Government Communications, Tapologo Kwapa, had not done so by press time. Efforts to reach him were unsuccessful, as his phone went unanswered.