'Hands off Autlwetse'
Innocent Selatlhwa | Tuesday April 5, 2022 06:00
An emotionally charged press release by the acting permanent secretary (Botswana Government Communications and Information Systems), John-Thomas Dipowe released on Saturday came short of labelling the attack on the minister 'political violence'.
This is despite stating that investigations were still ongoing. “While police investigations are still ongoing, the government condemns in the strongest terms the politically motivated violence, which seeks to disturb the peace and tranquility that our citizens continue to enjoy under our democratic dispensation,” he wrote. Dipowe said government believes in the rule of law and therefore such barbaric acts cannot be tolerated under any circumstances.
“Therefore, those responsible for this unfortunate disturbance will face the full wrath of the law. In this regard, we appeal to members of the public to maintain the culture of respecting the laws of this country and to be vigilant against people who incite violence,” he added. The statement follows an incident that occurred in Serowe in the wee hours of Friday morning.
It was announced by state media on Friday morning that Autlwetse’s car was torched and also that his family was rescued from being burnt inside the house by the police and members of the Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS). Recently, former president Ian Khama wrote a scathing letter warning Autlwetse against insubordination as his subject over a letter the minister wrote to regent Kgosi Sediegeng Kgamane. “The basis for the said letter according to Autlwetse is that Kgosi Sediegeng has allowed Bangwato to use their main Kgotla in Serowe for what Autlwetse puts as private affairs that in his view cannot be conducted at my kgotla.
This is in reference to my having instructed Kgosi Sediegeng in my capacity as paramount chief of Bangwato to update morafe on matters that affected my family, that being the illegal detention of my twin brothers Tshekedi and Anthony Khama and Thea Khama, Tshekedi’s wife, by the DIS. Apparently, Autlwetse had attempted to stop the meeting, which took place at the main kgotla in Serowe, as I had requested, and which he describes as having been 'outside the purpose and function of a kgotla,'" Khama wrote.
As if that was not enough, Khama went on to state that there would be another kgotla meeting on Friday. He sent out a stern warning for the minister, “Let me conclude by again warning Autlwetse to stay out of the affairs of my kgotla and Gammangwato in general for his own good. What he has done is an act of indiscipline, insubordination and gross disrespect as he is attempting to strip me of my status as Kgosikgolo. I call on Bangwato to disregard the contents of his letter and to continue to freely attend any kgotla meetings in Gammangwato.”