Batlokwa are considering suing President Lt Gen Ian Khama and his family in a bid to recover Ruretse Farms currently owned by the Khama family. Sunday Standard has been informed that the tribe is planning to engage Tshiamo Rantao of Rantao Kewagamang attorneys to pursue their land claim. Batlokwa argue that they have the title deed of Ruretse farms and that the farms should revert back to the tribe. Batlokwa have mandated Batlokwa Trust chaired by Elijah Katse to look for assets belonging to the tribe and register them under the trust. Ruretse farms, Glen Valley and Kgale Views lands form part assets inventory that the tribe wants back.
A source within Batlokwa royal family told Sunday Standard that Ruretse farms are some of Batlokwa’s assets that the tribe seeks to bring under the control of Batlokwa Trust. Katse as chairman of the Batlokwa Trust was expected to fight the issue in parliament when elected as Member of Parliament for Tlokweng. Unfortunately after winning the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) primaries against the current Member of Parliament for Tlokweng, Olebile Gaborone, Katse was recalled after being accused of interfering with the party primaries electoral process.
“Katse was not sacked because of issues pertaining to irregularities in the party primaries but was pushed out to protect Khama’s interest,” the source claimed. It is understood that the issue was raised b Umbrella for Democratic Change YouthLeague (UDCYL) president Phenyo Segokgo recently, when President Khama was addressing a kgotla meeting in Tlokweng. “I believe this is when Khama realised that the move that Batlokwa wanted Ruretse farm under the tribe control was serious because the following day Katse and some of his councilors were served with letters from the ruling party accusing them of cheating in the party primaries,” said the source.
Reached for comment Katse said Batlokwa trust is mandated to look after the tribe’s property. “All property that belongs to the tribe will be owned by the tribe through the Batlokwa trust.
We already have property registered under Batlokwa trust,” he said Asked for comments on Ruretse farms, Katse said “issues relating to Ruretse farms are known by those who know them better. We are not going to get involved in something we do not know where it started. It is not our mandate to establish how land was allocated, that remains land board’s mandate, if there is anybody complaining about Ruretse then they can forward their grievances through land board.” Assistant Minister of Local Government Gaborone would not respond to Sunday Standard queries. “tsamaya o botse bone ba ba go boleletseng(Go and ask those who informed you),” he said and hung up his phone.
