Before you read this article and start cursing yours truly, let it be made clear that this is not a rant about the fugitive former President Khama the favourite Baga Mmangwato God. This is a candid acknowledgement of the painful reality that Botswana became the property of Kgosi-kgolo Lieutenant General Seretse Khama Ian Khama and even post Presidency he is still struggling to let go of power. Nonetheless, those of you who are peeved by this sincere acknowledgement can go to Pala o kue in Serowe hold night vigil prayers for deliverance.
Ian Khama joined government in 1998 as Vice President of Botswana and was given responsibility for overseeing all ministries to ensure efficient implementation and delivery of government projects; a first of its kind and which he failed dismally. He proved problematic from day 1, piloting Botswana Defence Force aircrafts without explicit authority, a move that was later held by the then ombudsman the late Maina Lethebe as offending the BDF Act. His contempt of colleagues whom he referred to as vultures (only to prove he is the big vulture, by the time he completed his term) and his disregard for established channels of communication, sometimes forcing the president to make unreasonable concessions is legendary. Some writers even noted that against tradition he later sought chairmanship of the BDP while the country’s Vice President, thus consolidating his stranglehold on power, and again contrary to the norm, extracted an endorsement from the then President Festus Mogae (who for all intents and purposes was overshadowed by his vice) ascended to presidency on April Fool Day 2008.
Ian joined politics straight from the barracks and headed to the executive arm of government, broke or bended every rule in the book to suit his whims and caprices. He was the 1st to take sabbatical leave (while VP), strange as it were after election and did many unusual things like disregarding Judicial Service Commission’s recommendations (which the courts later ruled against) in the appointment of judges etc, he simply became law unto himself and even post presidency is a menace. During his reign he disregarded existing National Development Plans, instead introduced 4 (and later) 5Ds as his roadmap, which he misunderstood and personalized power as the presidency churned out directives. He became the most powerful leader at both party and government and relished it, he would declare that cabinet ministers should not hold party office at one point only for them to do so still under his reign, still during his tenure. He, like his predecessor (who only supported him) openly supported his preferred candidates and publicly admonished those he didn’t, the case in point being of Daniel Kwelagobe, punished or even dismissed some of them from the party or central committee as he pleased which resulted in the historic split of the BDP and consequently the birth of BMD. In a strange twist of events some of those have now turned themselves as his bouncers.
One Professor of psychology at the University of California who studies Presidential personality Dean Simonton once stated that “Personality doesn’t predict everything, but it does predict some things,” For instance, how flexible the President influences their power and their desire for affiliation and wanting to get along with people, rural poor to be precise and excluding those who matter, then you are more likely to have a scandal as was the case in Botswana with former President Ian Khama’s “Me Nice Attitude”. In Ian, Botswana had a President who preferred to work with petty gossipers, parrots, apple polishers, mediocre with a yes boss mentality.
Ian sensationalized his own rhetoric to gain clicks because with him, it was just not happening. The foregoing are just concrete examples of the real-life consequences of personality characteristics about Ian Khama, unfortunately even Post Presidency Ian pretends as if everything is fine and wants special privileges and has a lot of disrespect for the current political leadership and is just lacking in botho. He is the root cause of all the evils, he is too rigid, overly pompous and paranoid. Unfortunately, the parrots around him do not have the “Balls” to stand up against him to tell him to take it easy. His tribe’s men are equally worse and are not helping to heal from his post presidential disorder. They are leaving in the world of fantasy. It is just an illusion with poor grannies and old timers together with the Baga Mmangwato historical subjects thinking the Presidency ke “Lehura la ga Mmangwato”. How naïve. They have made Ian believe he has the charm.
Does Ian Khama really have that charm or is it just the fear factor? In his own fantasy and members of Khama Fan Club (KFC) together with the historical Ngwato bouncers and some BDP rejects now defending the Spaza. Personally, President Ian Khama comes across as someone who thinks he has that charm and even went to the extent of labelling himself “Lepako”, a tough un-breakable log in 2009 at some political rally in Tutume.
When personality researchers and behavioural scientists get to analyse Ian’s character, they will probably dismiss that fallacy right on the onset and rate him even below average. He has never had it and that the self praises he showered himself by labelling himself “Lepako’ is reminiscent of someone living in the world of fantasy. He watched too many movies. Psychologists surely will perceive this as a personality disorder.
During his first inaugural address on April fool day 2008, Ian Khama was horribly awkward came with un-known 4D’s departing from the mainstream developmental policy agenda. He was very timid, visibly nervous, wasn’t very dynamic and tried so much to be unique. He just tried so much to impress. Despite the unparalleled endorsement by the majority, the Khama revolution birthed every evil that was once considered core features of rogue states.
Thus, the Khama presidency moved Botswana away from the values of her founders’ values of moral progress, individual and collective responsibility, political tolerance and traditional Tswana values of freedom. Khama came across more as a movie star, an actor than a serious politician. Not even Philanthropist.
Khama’s ascension to Presidency on April fool day 2008 left many arguing that after all choosing a president has never been a more serious matter. In his inauguration speech, Khama quoted Mogae’s last State of the Nation Address in which the former president had stated that he had not allowed political expediency and the pursuit of populism to cloud his judgement and service to the nation as the road to political expediency and populism could be lined with lined with cheering crowds.
Mogae had warned that harsh punishment waited a nation that spent unwisely in pursuit of immediate gratification rather than sustainable development.
“These are indeed wise words, and I wish to identify myself with”, said Ian. “On behalf of the nation, Rre Mogae I wish to thank you Rraetsho for all you have done, and we wish you all the best in your retirement”. “Please feel free to call on me at any time to render advice on any issue, and I hope I too can call on you for the same” said Khama”.
Once on the pedestal as the country’s president, did Khama honour his pledges? He unfortunately did not. It became apparent that Khama allowed political expediency to cloud his judgement by throwing money at most of the economic problems that the country faced. When the country faced its first ever biggest civil servants strike in 2011, Khama refused to engage his predecessors for wise counsel despite the negative economic impact the strike had.
He further refused to engage striking workers’ unions opting instead to hold kgotla meetings in which he declared that the workers could go on strike for as long as they wished. Khama is also reported to have snubbed intervention by his predecessors in a bid to chart an end to the strike. This is despite the pledge he had made to the effect that he had made to Mogae to call on him at any time to render advice on any issue if need be.
Even post presidency, Ian Khama has been running amok, holding cross border hate interviews in the Republic of South Africa against a country he purports to love. He did the same with Kgosi Kgolo Kgafela leading to his hate interview with Donald Sebereane of Duma FM in May 2010. So envious of Khama on Kgosi Kgolo Kgafela that he despatched a group of Ngwato picnickers for an overnight of drinking spree gotwe ke go ne jaaka a ne a ba rupisa.
Ian has been on a critical path of self-destruction, has been extremely reckless, disrespectful and just lacking in botho with his superman stunts a tsena Gcwihaba caves ka di scared Ministers, a ora mello tsatsi le penne. He is just a mess, a curse to be precise. His detractors have even suggested that Khama knows what he has done, that is why he is running away. If he comes back, Khama is very likely to go to jail. He is on the run and in the end, no one will know where is including the Ngwato royal uncles, members of KFC and Ngwato aristocrats.
As to whether he is an enigma or is just a mere Mampara his acts of cowardice are more than telling.
*Thabo Lucas Seleke is a Ph.D Candidate, London, UK
