Saturday was an eventful day for Serowe royal uncles and Bangwato tribe. In what seems to be a continuation of the wrangling between President Mokgweetsi Masisi and his predecessor Ian Khama, Bangwato could go for a while without a Kgosi recognised by either man.

Masisi as the President and Khama as Kgosikgolo. After Kgosi Serogola Seretse, through the armed forces, barred them from using the Kgotla, Khama made a call through Mogomotsi Kaboeamodimo to fire him from his Kgotla and replace him with Seretse Peter Khama. Peter would then lead mostly elderly people through the police barricades daring the police to act.

The police represented by the Special Support Group, soldiers as well as intelligence officers, came in their numbers dressed up ready to fight, armed with guns, tear gas, whips, armoured vehicles and even the newly acquired police water truck to surround Serowe Kgotla.

For those who came early, there was no way to the Kgotla as the police told people that there won’t be a meeting as it was not sanctioned. Bagammangwato would not be deterred as they strategised on how they could go in and come out unharmed. “We are going to walk through them to the Kgotla, sit down for five minutes and leave so we can come to have our meeting here.

We just need to make a statement and show them we are entitled to our Kgotla to discuss our issues,” Kgosi Rasebolai Kgamane said before the group led by Peter and mainly elderly women went through the police barriers and went into the Kgotla. As they approached, the armed officers positioned themselves while some in armoured vehicles revved them.

All this would not deter the group as they went in and sat down in the Kgotla, surrounded by the armed officers. While the police were busy instructing those who gathered to disperse in five minutes, Bagammangwato went ahead with their business.

After a short prayer, Peter addressed them briefly. “We made it into Seretse Khama Ian Khama’s Kgotla. We came here to discuss our issues. But people are disturbing us here. I am happy we showed them they cannot do anything to us for coming into our Kgotla.

Let us now go back to where we can discuss our issues. We shall come back some other time. According to Bogosi Act, there is no other place for a Morafe to hold meetings than the Kgotla,” Peter said. They would then return to base where Kgosi Mokhutshwane

Sekgoma called on Morafe to stand with them and spread the word for more people to join them as they plan for the return of Khama.

“We have made attempts before to bring him home, but it is not satisfactory that our efforts have not borne fruit.

We need to stand together and assure Kgosikgolo that he has our protection as he desperately wants to come home. I have realised that we should look to the streets and social media to spread the word. Each and every one of us should bring in more people so that we can be heard,” he said.

Meanwhile, No.2 Distric Officer Commanding, Senior Superintendent Paul Oketsang said they had barred Morafe because Kgosi Serogola Seretse had instructed them. “Kgosi told us during the week that there were some people who had made intentions to hold an unauthorised meeting at the Kgotla.

We had to put our resources together to ensure that the meeting doesn’t happen to be able to stop any crime and detect any danger as people gather,” he said.

Royal uncles came out in public with their differences with Serogola at a press conference last week. They stated they would continue recognising Kgamane as their Kgosi until he is replaced by Seretse Peter Khama.