Khama family hosts memorial service
Larona Makhaiza | Monday June 6, 2022 06:00
Jacqueline Khama or “Jackie” as her friends and family called her lived most her life working at the University of Botswana (UB) for a period of 28 years in the Faculty of Education. After spending most of her working years at the University, she then retired and went on to join her mother’s charitable organisation ,the Lady Khama Charitable Trust where she established the Trustee and worked as a Chairperson for several years there.
All of Tebogo-Khama children being Dale and Marcus ter Haar attended her memorial service. They were given an opportunity to speak about their mother and spoke fondly of her. Tebogo-Khama’s two sons revealed that their mother was always there for them and quite loving. Even when their parents divorced, they disclosed that their mother was never absent and described her as epitome of good single mothers out there. There was no official government representative at the memorial service. Some of former president Ian Khama’s allies like Isaac Kgosi were seen at the event. Khama and his twin brothers Tshekedi and Anthony did not show up at the memorial service.
The former president is currently in self-imposed exile in South Africa and is facing criminal charges back home.
He has always maintained that he won’t come back to Botswana until it is safe to do so. Despite his absence, Khama did send a voice message that was played at the memorial service. His message was that, “We once again wish to extend our love and deep sorrow to Dale and Marcus for the unexpected loss of their mother, and of our sister, grandmother and Aunt Jackie. We wish to take this opportunity once again thank all those at home and abroad who have sent messages of condolences often.
To Dale, Marcus and family, your support has provided all of us with great comfort during this very sad time”.
Khama added that what they could have hoped for was to be united as a family in order to celebrate a life well lived, grieve and support one another. He indicated that when Jackie was born in Serowe, their father the late Sir Seretse Khama was exiled in the UK, which is why the latter could not attend and celebrate the birth of his first child and only daughter with their mother. “Today over 72 years later our family is once again unable to gather together and comfort each other in Botswana, this time to grieve for Jackie’s passing, as a brother, as an uncle to her sons and as a head of our family you can only imagine how saddened I am because of this. To her family, I will continue to be there for you and to try and support you through thick and thin. I look forward to the day we are all able to be back in the country and to then say goodbye to Jackie together in person and as a family. Rest in peace sister dear, we all love you” he highlighted.