- THE TRADITIONAL LEADERSHIP OF GAMMANGWATO HAS EXPRESSED UNHAPPINESS WITH THE CURRENT GOVERNMENT LED BY PRESIDENT MOKGWEETSI MASISI, WHICH THEY ACCUSE OF TRIBAL OPPRESSION. THIS PAST WEEKEND THEY GATHERED MORAFE IN SEROWE TO MOBILISE AGAINST THE PRESIDENT, AMONG OTHERS. HERE IS HOW THE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN REACTING TO EVENTS AND SENTIMENTS FROM GAMMANGWATO CAPITAL:

We are with Kgosikgolo Khama

Over the past weekend we saw the BAGAMMANGWATO tribesmen (interestingly Pensioners) taking a DEFIANCE MARCH under a heavily armed police escort as they were instructed to leave their own KGOTLA where they were supposed to meet with the royal uncles, go utlwa tekodiso ka Kgosikgolo ya bone. Kgotla is the only place where morafe o tsayang morero wa ba bogosi teng. Where else would they have gone to meet with the royal Uncles? It was so embarrassing to hear a whole police officer a kua ka segoagoe a re, Tautona o re hile thata ya gore re dirise kgoka le go le phatlalatsa ka gas e putsaputsisang dikeledi. Come on , how do you shoot armless pensioners? A bo o ba gasa tear gas? But what I like about these Bangwato, is their BRAVERY and LOYALTY to their Kgosikgolo. Le e tshwere sentle thaata. The most important thing any of us can do as a citizen in a democracy, and that means the

old joining the young to fight for elemental kinds of justice for their Kgosikgolo. Swelang Kgosikgolo ya lona. Morafe wa rialo o supe gore o teng. Re eme tsiii, le Kgosikgolo Khama IV [CATHERINE SEPORA]

This is dictatorship in action

Masisi sends armed police, BDF, and DIS to confront Bangwato in Serowe to stifle freedom of speech. They are not armed robbers, so why the guns? Well we know what happened recently to innocent people being shot and killed. This is the way it is done in this dictatorship. [IAN KHAMA]

Kgosikgolo uses elders in his battles

The events in my home village are quite embarrassing sometimes I am ashamed to tell people I originate from Serowe. I particularly hate it when I see politicians use our elderly parents to defy the country’s laws in the name of defending our Kgosikgolo. The same Kgosikgolo who has never taken his seat at the royal kraal preferring to be a politician instead, which he continues to be and encourages unlawful gatherings at the kgotla. Is it the first time the government has stopped an unlawful gathering? Even during the presidency of our Kgosikgolo? Why do we want to make this matter a tribal issue? Politicians should stop using our parents who are clueless on the real agenda of those who are selfish. They even shout that we are a kingdom. What kingdom? Shame on my people. [PEARL AUTLWETSE]

Bangwato must respect the law

Some of us are not moved by events at Serowe because we have some pressing issues to worry about. Some of us are not under any monarchy. Bangwato should learn to respect Laws of this country jaaka merafe e mengwe. [ALFA LEFHA MBEDZI]

We also want our Kgosikgolo

How can we support you as Batswapong? You know very well what you did to our village chiefs go ipaa lona hela ka sengwato

to divide Batswapong; so in that way Mr Pres Masisi ba tlapise

Mokgatla le rena re nne le khosikholo ya Batswapong [KABELO GABOTHUSE]

Dictatorship emerging in Botswana

A tribe can no longer peacefully meet on their own terms in Botswana. Especially Gammangwato without interference and threats of losing life ( because clearly use of rifle fire on a peaceful unarmed crowd of elders and tribes men and women who are there to talk to one another is an affront to the current regime in Botswana). This action by the Botswana Gov is the mark of an emerging dictatorship over all Batswana and residents. It is not a peaceful democracy. They could have observed and allowed freedom of speech and meeting without such threats and force. Divide and rule is happening throughout the country as Batswana have been encouraged by the media and the current government in power to hate, judge and bully one another on radio, through passive aggression, and overt aggression on social media and the papers. The streets are no longer safe and psyches of people are being claimed and chained. This is not about two leaders ( Ian and Masisi) having a public spat. This is about a corrupt government that now controls an even more corrupt government in Africa wielding power and diverting public attention from their criminal acts of corruption. I hope the people don’t awake too late to the real tragedy. My heart is heavy from afar. I am shaking for the country and my people who are there with only, but not least, God’s protection and the law of cause and effect on their side. As you’ve prayed for me and my family over this unheard of time, I am praying with you for strength, clarity, protection and unity. [THEA KHAMA]

Khama family needs counselling

The end game for the Khama family is to see this country plunge into turmoil so that the dictatorship narrative they sell to the clueless international community is given credence. The majority of the people in this country, including the opposition parties, have always complained of dictatorship under Ian Khama’s rule.

It is now an open secret that when he chose his successor, it was with conditions that he makes his younger brother Tshekedi Khama a Vice President. Since President Masisi defied that order, Ian Khama has vowed to see Masisi lose his seat before the next election. This is exactly what they are trying to do by sponsoring turmoil in Serowe and they do this from the comfort of their cosy houses in South Africa. They are so desperate to get the world’s attention that they even have to exile themselves without reason.

There is an unlawful gathering that they are sponsoring in Serowe and they want the people to disobey the police so that chaos ensues for more international attention. We see through them and only those outside the country will not understand.

This is a very bitter family that seems to have thought they would rule this country forever. They feel the Presidency of Botswana belongs to their family simply because Sir Seretse Khama was the founding president. They take the presidency as a monarchy where family members hand over to one another. This family needs counseling. It has been difficult for them to adjust to a world outside the presidency. And since they can’t have things their way, they sponsor the opposition parties and rioters to help take Masisi out. What we see in Serowe is worrisome, because the elders there don’t even know they are being used. Please help this family before a civil war happens in the country. It is even disheartening to see them behave as if the world has wronged them when popular opinion is that during their reign under Ian, Botswana counted amongst the most corrupt and a lot of civil liberties were lost. Please help the Khamas [LAWRENCE