- Says BaKgatla will see President Masisi for what he is
- Kgosi Senai says this is “a tough period for BaKgatla”
GAZETTE REPORTER
The president of the Botswana People’s Party, Motlatsi Molapisi, has blasted President Mokgweetsi Masisi for failing to live up to his 2019 word that he would not rest until Kgosi Kgafela Kgafela ll of BaKgatla had returned to Botswana.
This follows a recent announcement by the Deputy Kgosi of BaKgatla, Sekai Linchwe, that Kgosi Kgafela II will not attend his mother’s funeral because of a warrant of arrest against the traditional sovereign of BaKgatla. “Kgosi Kgafela ll will not attend his mother’s funeral because we all know about the charges he is facing,” Kgosi Senai said. “This will be a tough period for BaKgatla.”
In a subsequent interview with The Botswana Gazette Molapisi said it is shocking that Masisi has ignored his promise to BaKgatla and that the death of the Queen Mother of the tribe, Mma-Seingwaeng, provided a conducive opportunity for the government to extend amnesty to her son, Kgosi Kgafela II, and mend fences with BaKgatla.
“You will recall that in the lead-up to the 2019 general elections, Masisi used propaganda in his campaign to gain votes and he managed to win BaKgatla through such propaganda,” the BPP leader said. “We all know that Masisi has the powers to ensure that Kgosi Kgafela comes to bury his grandmother and Queen Mother of BaKgatla because even prisoners enjoy such a reprieve.”
In the absence of such intervention, BaKgatla will see President Masisi for what he is, Molapisi noted.
“Bakgatla have always been true to progressive politics because from 1966 they voted for the BPP but from there they kept switching political parties in search of better alternatives,” he said. “It is unfortunate that the BDP resorted to using Mmusi Kgafela to lure votes among BaKgatla. This was done alongside Masisi’s promise to ensure that Kgosi Kgafela returned to Botswana.”
Mmusi is Kgosi Kgafela II’s younger brother. He became the MP for Kgatleng West in the 2019 general elections and was appointed to the Masisi cabinet.
“What the state should understand is that Kgosi Kgafela did not commit any offence but was basically restoring order in his village for which he needed support from the state,” said Molapisi referring to charges of assault that were levelled against the traditional sovereign of BaKgatla after he ordered several youngsters lashed for indiscipline at the Kgotla in Mochudi.
“We will be waiting to hear whether Masisi will use his powers for the benefit of Kgosi Kgafela because I am sure that BaKgatla are fuming over this because they were lied to.”
Kgafela fled to South Africa in 2012 after being accused by some of his tribesmen of illegally assaulting them.