Scores of guest attending the Vision 2036 launch were squirming uncomfortably in their seats as President Lt Gen Ian Khama seemed to have crossed the line between a friendly joke and a sarcastic snipe as he dissed opposition Member of Parliament for Goodhope Mabule Kgosi Lotlaamoreng.
President Khama made a snide comment apparently aimed at putting down Kgosi Lotlaamoreng under the guise that he was offering constructive criticism to Minister of Presidential affairs, Eric Molale.
Khama feigned to criticize Molale’s lapse in protocol for not recognizing Dikgosi especially the Chairman of the House of Chiefs, Kgosi Puso Gaborone in his welcome remarks.
In mock anger, Khama criticized Molale for disrespecting Dikgosi who stood up midway through the president’s speech to apologise to Kgosi Gaborone saying,”ke kopa maitshwarelo kgosi. ( I apologise Kgosi)”
Khama then went on to recognise:”The honorable Presidential Minister Rre Molale, permanent Secretary to the President, and chairman of Ntlo ya dikgosi Puso Gaborone, nna ke go bone, ba bangwe ha ba a go bona, because ha ba recognise dikgosi but Molale a kere wa itse gore we do recognize some Dikgosi but not your Kgosi, Molale akere waitse,”said Khama.
“This translates to Molale you know that we recognize some Dikgosi but not all of them. We do not recognize your Kgosi, isn’t it?
Molale then responded by saying “yes boss”. By Molale’s Kgosi, Khama was referring to Kgosi Lotlaamoreng who defeated Molale in the recent bruising parliamentary primary election for Goodhope/Mabule under Umbrella for Democratic change ticket (UDC).
