Batawana have been bitterly angered by insults hurled at their Kgosi by Botswana Democratic Party stalwarts at a political rally over the weekend. They are now demanding answers and want to take the matter forward so that the “offenders” may be made to account for their misdeeds. At a political rally in Maun West attended by among others, Tawana’s ex-wife Tsitsi Moremi, speakers took turns to ridicule Tawana, calling him names and questioning his credibility as a leader.
Tsitsi had arrived at the rally clad in BDP colors and in the company of president Ian Khama’s brother, Tshekedi, Minister Lebonaamang Mokalake and private secretary to the president George Tlhalerwa. She was again whisked away to Maun airport in the same car that brought them, soon after the rally was over.
News that the BDP was on a mission to break a “bombshell” and stage attacks on Tawana surfaced at┬á the Maun East rally earlier on the day, where the BDP National Campaign manager Alec┬á Saemetso had invited constituents to attend the afternoon rally in Maun West where he was going to be in his element. Seametso said he had been worried and had had enough of people who now take advantage and insult president Khama at almost every forum and as they please, all because they know he cannot fight back. He said Tawana’s infant son was going to grow into a better man as compared to his lawless father, and that Batawana should wait for his tenure to take over chieftainship as they are currently not represented.
“This is why I am taking it upon myself to face such people on behalf of Khama. We have become so unsettled by the behavior of some people towards our president, and so I want to put a stop at it and be on the defending┬áside. You all know Tawana is immature. He fights in public and so forth but you still have the nerve to go down on your knees and beg the judiciary to have mercy on him”, he said.
He added “Tawana should swallow his pride and face reality. We all know he is going through a lot now, all because of his arrogant behavior. He needs to be punished and show that he can be replaced. He is an absconder even in parliament, so make him feel the heat and vote a capable person like Reaboka Mbulawa, you will never be disappointed”.
Khama asked the gathering to say if they see any competency in Tawana and if they see him as responsible leader, and whether they are comfortable with his leadership style of which the response was “NO.” He said Tawana is likely to abandon his people, the same way he abandoned his own family. “Such a person can never be trusted. He has become so unreliable that I wouldn’t advise you to vote him back. As I speak I am faced with a mammoth task of taking care of all of his children, including his wife seated here. He has failed them as a father and a husband. His ex wife phones me all the time asking for assistance and I am always willing to help, so this explains how incompetent he is”.
Meanwhile Batawana felt the attacks were too much to handle. An emergency meeting was called on Sunday by his regiment, Matsayakgang say they intend to map a way forward on what action to take. They also feel Seametso had also disrespected Tawana and Batawana as a whole by suggesting their chieftaincy succession plan. They have scheduled yet another meeting for next weekend. Efforts to obtain comment from Tawana failed as he said he was busy doing house to house campaigns.
