- Magosi says situation has become more serious than ever
- Chief spy says DISS has intercepted several threats
- DISS keen on relocating the President from State House
LETLHOGILE MPUANG
The threat on the life of President Mokgweetsi Masisi is threatening to grow beyond control, the head of DISS, Peter Magosi, has said.
Speaking to The Botswana Gazette this week, Magosi described the threat as being “very much” the work of non-state actors with vested interests in the affairs of the country. “We have intercepted several threats,” Magosi said. “The situation has become more serious than ever before.
“You should look even in our region. There have been times when the life of a head of state has been under threat and we cannot take these things lightly.” He emphasised that plans to relocate Masisi from State House are still on course.
Magosi’s renewed accent on threats on Masisi’s life come against the backdrop of recent acquisitions of armoured vehicles for the President. Vice President Slumber Tsogwane told Parliament last week that the Directorate of Intelligence and Security Service (DISS) had spent over P10 million to purchase the vehicles.
The vehicles were purchased from a Canadian company known as INKAS, according information reaching this publication. The company specialises in the design and production of a wide variety of armoured vehicles, cars and armoured trucks, including luxury armoured sedans, executive SUVs, cash-in-transit vehicles and tactical armoured vehicles.
INKAS Armoured Vehicle Manufacturing has been providing armoured vehicles for banks, law enforcement agencies, corporate clients and individuals all over the world since the year 2000.
The Botswana Gazette also understands that prior to the purchase of these vehicles, the country had only one armoured vehicle . According to information available on the INKAS website, these vehicles have high quality multi-layer bullet resistant glasses. The vehicles can withstand numerous bullets from a 7.62 mm assault rifle as well as 2 x DM51 hand grenades.
Meanwhile, reports suggest that there have been concerns about Prseident Masisi’s state of health. Although details are sketchy at the moment, Masisi was often hospitalised in South Africa for an undisclosed condition in 2016. The Press Secretary to the President, Batlhalifi Leagajang, has previously told the media that he was not at liberty to address any questions about Masisi’s health and that the President deserved the same protection of privacy as other citizens.
Masisi’s elder brother, Tshelang, succumbed to a kidney condition in 2013.