Two decades ago, a male dominated tribal gathering in Ramotswa embraced a woman, Mosadi, as a paramount chief.
Her name is Mosadi Seboko – daughter of Kgosi Mokgosi who died on the eve of Botswana’s independence from Britain in 1966. She has traversed and triumphed over several tribulations including teenage delinquency, HIV prevalence and patriarchal dominance yet she finds herself caught up with what could be called State sponsored legal zeal to grab her tribe’s prime land bought almost a century ago for 3000 pounds south of the capital Gaborone irregardless of a title deed.
Former Attorney General Ataliah Molokomme is on record saying a title deed cannot supersede an Act of Parliament – a legislative instrument which sought to deny the Balete tribe the right to own land they purchased through blood and sweat of their taxes from colonial masters in 1925.
Mosadi’s ascension to the GaMalete tribal authority throne as the first female paramount chief Botswana has ever had, did not come without a hitch. There were those who felt it was an affront on tradition. Yet she has surprised some, many even, as she continues to work in tandem with her paternal uncles’ off spring to this day.
“There was a cultural shock from my cousins and other Balete tribesmen at the thought of a woman being a paramount chief. I am delighted that ultimately, they found out that we could move forward as a tribe not mirrored on the basis of gender,” she told The Telegraph in this exclusive interview.
Kgosi Mosadi Seboko granted this interview with apprehension.
“The media have a tendency to create mountains out of ant hills. I hope that the issues you are raising here are meant for nation building and social cohesion. I expect the media to articulate issues that bind us rather than divide us but coming to your enquiry there are several issues of concern,” she said in a prelude.
Seboko inherited a problem of teenage delinquency at her earliest years as paramount chief. The wayward youth went by the notorious name of Ditlou. She was able to contain the societal ill but says she can’t claim all the glory.
“Those who came before me fought the scourge with the same eagerness. I only continued form where they left off,” she told The Telegraph.
She resuscitated male and female initiation in her territory only to be interrupted by the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic. She has worked with wayward youth who were all the happier for her to create recreational facilities for them rather than creating uplifting projects. She obliged. She started football conduits with the assistance of locals.
“I think the trouble makers were sympathetic that I was the first female chief. They probably pitied me. I mobilized female led ambassadors from countries such as South Africa and Nigeria who came to the party and assisted us in many different ways,” she says.
Then her tone changes. She gets bitter, angry even, that government wants to dispossess her tribe of land they bought in 1925. Balete bought Farm 9 KO from Crocodile Pools before independence from Britain.
Sometime in the late 1990s, government proposed a mixed-use development for the prime land in partnership with the tribe. Initially government proposed to pay the tribe about P90 million but reneged on the proposal under dubious circumstances. A legal tussle ensued which saw the tribe win a High Court case presided over by Judge Key Dingake which was brought about by Malete Land Board with a little help from Quarries of Botswana. From there onwards the Balete land issue became seismic.
“Our freehold land was vested in the Kweneng Tribal Territory. All the time government acknowledged this fact including Malete Land Board. Whenever government wanted land from us, we were compensated. For example, the extension of Gaborone Dam and the expansion of the A1 Road. I suspect that Malete Land Board decision to appeal a High Court decision’s ruling on the contested land measuring close to 3000 hectares belongs to Balete must be informed by the high echelons of power. They have always known this fact but are choosing to throw it out the window, we will not surrender our land to the State with an intact Title Deed without compensation,” Mosadi said with fiery written all over her face.
The paramount chief said she does not want a tragic end to what rightfully belongs to her subjects. She implored the State to approach the delicate land issue with care. She said Malete Land Board is aware that the land rests with Balete as per a court outcome of 21 May 2021.
