Khama on ‘self-imposed exile’

Ryder Gabathuse | Monday November 15, 2021 06:36

Khama left the country under mysterious circumstances Monday this week whilst the DIS was waiting for him to hand his weapons at its office at Sebele following a demand by the agency for him to do so. There are fears that Khama has decided to remain in South Africa ‘indefinitely’ for fear of harassment at the hands of the DIS.

The spy agency has already demonstrated its intentions through his ally, Isaac Kgosi who has incessantly been its number one customer. Kgosi, the pioneering DIS director general, has been arrested, searched and arraigned before courts several times. “I am not in exile. I did not flee the country and I am on a private visit having meetings and then visiting family and friends then I will return,” Khama told Mmegi Wednesday without specifying when he will be back. Fears of Khama skipping the country were further heightened by the manner in which he chose to break all travel protocols commensurate with the office of the former president. For instance, before he can travel, he is cleared off by the Office of the President (OP) and International affairs and Cooperation but that was not the case in the latest trip.

Permanent Secretary to the President (PSP) Emma Peloetletse this week said protocol is such that when Khama travels outside the country, he is cleared with the OP, something she acknowledges Khama did not do this time around. In the midst of the standoff between Khama and the DIS on the handing of Khama’s weapons, the latter decided to stealthily travel to South Africa through the Martin’s Drift border this week before a helicopter in the farms near the border airlifted him. Shockingly, Khama Monday this week released his security detail from the DIS and was picked by a private security team that travelled with him to South Africa where reports indicate that he is likely to remain ‘indefinitely’ until his security concerns in his home country have been cleared off. In a recent response to Mmegi enquiries, Khama had worriedly declared: “They want to arrest me tomorrow.” The former president further indicated, “The DIS called to say I must now go to their offices in Sebele to hand over my weapons. But, last week they said they would come and collect them from me.

I hear the plan is to arrest me out of the public eye,” Khama further said in his response.

At the same time, Khama’s position was that the DIS should go and collect the weapons from him as the agency had a search warrant to that effect creating a stand off between the two parties. Khama was outright Monday that he is in South Africa and emphasised that he doesn’t need permission from anyone to travel. He was reluctant to say the exact purpose of his SA visit, preferring to say, “I have travelled like many other people do.” He could not respond to reports that he had plans to meet South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa this week where he is expected to share his security concerns back home.