07 Aug 2019

Sefhare-Ramokgonami MP, Ms Dorcas Makgato says it is unconstitutional and wrong for former president, Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama to address political rallies masquerading as Kgosikgolo.

Ms Makgato told a media conference that it was in the public domain that former president was a patron and founder of the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF), hence he should not be wearing two caps to use as and when it was convenient for him.

“I am addressing him in his capacity as the patron of BPF and in his capacity as someone that has come out of retirement to come into active politics and not as Kgosikgolo. There is no Kgosikgolo in politics because dikgosi belong to dikgotla,” she said.

In the history of Botswana politics, she said, it was a norm to differentiate between dikgosi and politicians and ‘that should continue like that until the amendment of the constitution.’

As such, she said the habit of using former president’s position as Kgosikgolo in politics was creating fear among people in Sefhare-Ramokgonami constituency and other constituencies.

Ms Makgato said Botswana was not a monarchy, but a republic and democracy with processes, hence going towards October politicians squared up for political positions and not dikgosi.

He said the former president consistently took different positions and conveniently changed as and when it suited him.

“I cannot fold my arms when former president tells my constituents anything he wishes because he is Kgosikgolo. Choosing the path he has chosen of smear campaign, we must deal with him in the context of politics because he is representing his party that is trying to take government of the day out of power,” she said.

Ms Makgato denied having spoken about the founding president, Sir Seretse Khama, during a political rally she addressed in Chadibe.

“Those that have chosen to misconstrue what I said, the onus is  on them to explain why. They must explain to this nation as to why when I generically spoke at a rally, they decide to apportion and twist my words for cheap political gain. I have never made reference to our founding father that we all respect, still love and still miss,” she said.

Ms Makgato said during the rally, a lot was not reported regarding what she said about the former president who vowed to tarnish and attack her.

“I had to tell my constituents to be aware of BPF patron’s smear campaign and propaganda,” she said.

Ms Makgato said there were mephato in the constituency who also told constituents to honour the kgosikgolo meetings and pleaded with electorates not to vote for her.

She said there was a lot of indiscipline in such meetings citing the use of offensive words about her such as ‘go twaela’ meaning she was indisciplined 

Further, she stated that BPF never informed constituents about its manifesto, other than to decampaign  other candidates.

She said the constituency needed three main things which are land, communal grazing land and water, but not bread and soup that the BPF patron consistently provided. ENDS