Remarks attributed to Hon Minister Autlwetse during a closed door meeting with Dikgosana in Serowe directed at former President Khama have provoked this rebuttal and we address all the issues alleged.
1. Several media and some of Dikgosana who attended the recent meeting with the Minister inform us that Rre Autlwetse made startling allegations about Lt. Gen. Khama’s retirement benefits and Tshekedi Khama’s political future. Among other claims the Minister is said to have alleged that the former President made several onerous demands including groceries, burdensome security arrangements, and the appointment of Tshekedi Khama as Vice President. The Minister is said to have further blamed former President Khama for all failed attempts to broker peace between Rre Khama and Rre Masisi.
2. With the greatest respect we must state for the record that the Honourable Minister misrepresented the facts. In recent months through local media we reminded both ourselves as we speak for General Khama and those that speak for Dr. Masisi including Cabinet Ministers to make a reasonable attempt to be factual or at least to be sincere and respectful where we make what can pass as honest mistakes. For example the awkward thought of ‘teaching witchcraft at government schools’ or claims of the ‘origins of the Khawa Dune Challenge’ could have been honest mistakes!
3. Since Rre Autlwetse has not disputed or denied the remarks attributed to him, outrageous as they are, we have no basis for assuming he did not make them. In our recent submission we wrote “It is not and should never be our business to fan the flames of antagonism by deliberate untruths on behalf of, in favour of, or to please our bosses. We rather should put out the facts as we know them or as given to us by credible sources. Even so we have the responsibility, as people privileged with information…to be able to provide irrefutable evidence of what we claim”.
4. We have submitted several times before that it is President Masisi, not General Khama, who has boasted publicly, on video, that he refused to meet with Khama when it was requested of him by those that attempted to broker peace between the two. Khama has maintained that this remains a possibility provided Masisi plays fair game. Contrary to Minister Autlwetse’s allegations former President Khama has met with every team of elders and individuals who came to see him over this several times. What he did put to the group of elders that included former President Mogae that was chosen by President Masisi was that they should assure him of theirs and Masisi’s sincerity and commitment to seek reconciliation and peace, because as they were with Khama government was continuing to withdraw or limit his constitutional benefits and privileges and committing new offensives against him. Let it be known that private individuals the Clergy, various elders and foreign leaders who attempted to reconcile Masisi and Khama have all given the common feedback that the President was making himself unavailable.
5. General Khama did not choose his own team of intercessors as alleged by Hon. Autlwetse. The Kwelagobe, Dada, Tibone, Legwaila group was their own initiative which they said was in the interest of the Botswana Democratic Party and Botswana as a country. They too gave feedback of frustration with President Masisi for making himself unavailable.
6. The ‘Presidents (Pensions and Retirement Benefits) (Amendment) Act, 2017 does not provide for groceries for former Presidents. Why would General Khama ask for such? It is ridiculous to suggest that Khama would demand to be provided with groceries when he always distributes food hampers to all corners of Botswana from his own pocket and from contributions by those who support his charities.
6. The comparison of security arrangements for former President Khama to that of former President Mogae would be a reasonable reference point if it was not laced with mischief. Such arrangements are different for all former Presidents as they are considered in the context of their lifestyles, and each of the leaders can make their own requests. General Khama requested only for one additional housekeeper to the two that were already provided. His reasoning was that in the event of illness of one the remaining person would be overwhelmed with work. This was granted at the discretion of government. He was further asked what his retirement activities would entail so that the numbers of personnel required could be determined. When General Khama left the country his DIS protection had been whittled down with numerous transfers and withdrawals to numbers much less than those of former President Mogae. The lifestyles of both former Presidents are public knowledge. Rre Mogae is an officer and a gentleman. Most of his work is desktop. His security arrangements cannot be compared to that of General Khama who is an outdoor activist who deals with philanthropy, wildlife and caving, sporting activity such as quad biking and flying. His security has to be comfortable in such environments and suitably equipped. President Masisi is alleged to mistrust everybody around him. His reportedly much heightened security with armoured vehicles, helicopters far more than any of his predecessors must have been customised to him.
6. Lastly, former President Khama has stated several times before that he never asked for nor was he offered by Rre Masisi to appoint Tshekedi Khama as Masisi’s Vice President.
Word did make the rounds that President Masisi himself allegedly out of hysteria at his unbelievable luck whispered to an inner circle of the BDP at the time that he would make Tshekedi Khama party Chairman in gratitude to Khama’s firm support of Masisi that had come in the face of a Cabinet revolt against Masisi’s nomination as Khama’s successor.
