It is time for the people of Gammangwato to revisit the issue of bogosi to mend the glaring cracks visible from all sides of the walls that form the chiefdom in this part of the country.
My approach on the issues of the chiefdom is made from two angles. First, Bangwato have had no chief since the death of Kgosi Sekgoma II Khama in 1925. For a century less two years, the tribe has never had anyone they can call their own chief.
Before you drop reading this article, allow me to deconstruct this view that I so dearly hold. After Sekgoma II, a man going by the name of Gorewang Kgamane was placed to care for the tribe. His position was known as Chairman of the Council of Regency.
According to Professor Michael Crowder, the one eyed Gorewang was a timid fellow whose leadership was allowing the fomentation of factions in the chiefdom especially among the royals. It is this kind of leadership that finally prompted Tshekedi Khama to abandon his studies in order to bring order to the seat of power in Serowe.
While Tshekedi was in power as regent holding the fort for Seretse Khama, one Gasetshwarwe appeared from Shoshong and claimed the chieftaincy as a son of Sekgoma II. Indeed he was the son of the last chief of Gammangwato but his undoing factor was the status of his birth. He was bone out of wedlock.
Gasetshwarwe was jailed for fifteen years as the sentence was handed down by a Serowe magistrate as a pretender to the throne. The sentence was handed with hard labour and was served in a Francistown jail.
The chieftaincy has never been held by a chief since the death of Sekgoama II in 1925. It has been one regent being Tshekedi Khama and a host of Tribal Authorities, a term only applied in Gammangwato and not in any other tribal territory.
This century old issue is not the only problem. The real issue here is that Bangwato have no chief. Ian Khama who is chief designate will never sit on the throne. His body language says it all.
After his coronation or enthronement in May 1979, the tribe was requested by his father that he should continue to serve the nation and upon his retirement from the military, he would return to Serowe to assume his role as chief.
Upon his retirement from the military in 1998, then President Ketumile Masire visited Serowe kgotla to address the tribe and requested them for the continued service of their chief in waiting. The deal was for the tribe to get him once he retired from politics.
Getting to the real issue now; Ian Khama has retired from political office but still continues to be active in politics. His activity is so intense that he has even procured himself a political party that is at the moment limited to Serowe and its environs.
It has now become crystal clear that the man is not interested in bearing and holding tribal office. Therefore Bangwato need to arise to the fact that they don’t have a chief. A meeting by the royals needs to be convened in order to address this issue.
I strongly advise that the descendants of Tshekedi should ascend the throne. They are the second in line after the descendants of Sekgoma II, who in this case should be Ian Khama. Bangwato should by now understand that Seretse’s offspring are nowhere near taking over the position of chief.
Ian Khama has literally gone against every word given by his father on the day of his installation as chief. Recently I had an opportunity to listen to the speech made by Seretse at the event. I have done that over and over in order that I may bisect it piece by piece.
The first thing that Seretse addresses is the equality of paramount chiefs in the country. He clearly declares that Ian Khama should not think that he is paramount chief of Botswana because his father is the president. On this issue, Seretse was not only talking to his son. He was equally addressing the Ngwato tribe which has always felt superior to others.
Seretse goes on to explain the delicate system of our democracy which in many instances resembles a federation of tribes. Botswana is a unique republic in this manner.
The speech warns about a chief who only becomes chief for the fun of the position. In actual fact Seretse goes on to warn that in the case of Ian becoming a perpetually absent chief, he would not hesitate to remove him from the throne.
Now that Ian Khama has gone absent without leave from his tribe, it is time that negotiations for a new chief should begin. Seretse clearly outlined that it is the chief’s uncles who should advise the chief. The perpetual absence from the throne calls for actions recommended by Seretse to kick in.
It is a disgrace to the Ngwato tribe to be rule by absent chiefs who only use the chieftainship card to their personal advantage. The Khama brothers will not denounce the chieftaincy and yet they will continue to rule from the margins of power for purposes of command and control.
Interesting enough, Kgosi Oscar Mosielele of Bakgatla Ba Mmanaana has brought before the House of Chiefs, a motion calling for government to only allow bona fide chiefs to be able to use the title kgosikgolo. The motion will clearly if adopted, deny Ian Khama the use of this title.
It will be interesting to follow the debate and see how many of the chiefs in the house will even attempt to protect the “chief at large” who cared less for chiefs while he was president.
The Khama brothers remain to be chiefs of convenience for the inconvenience of the tribe. They use the chieftainship trump card to tilt the political landscape for their own favour and personal benefit.
