Khama's SA return uncertain
Innocent Selatlhwa | Tuesday June 21, 2022 06:00
While he does not state where he will head, he is certain that he is not coming home.
Acting Permanent Secretary in the Botswana Government Communications and Information Systems, John-Thomas Dipowe issued a statement on Friday announcing that Khama will be travelling to the United Kingdom and Italy.
Dipowe stated that Khama would be in London on June 26 and return to Johannesburg on July 7.
While he confirmed the authenticity of the contents of the statement, Khama said it was not a given that he would return to Johannesburg.
“It is accurate except for the return to Johannesburg which I am undecided about at this time. There were no issues regarding facilitating the trip. My trips were put on hold by myself during the height of COVID(-19). I tend only to embark on trips by invitation. So those I undertake will mostly be as a result of such,” he said.
On plans of returning home, Khama said: “Those plans are always being updated. I have people in and outside Botswana who are constantly monitoring the situation and stability and threat to life and advise me regularly.”
In his first year after retirement, Khama was allocated P1.7 million for external travel and P145,000 for his internal trips. In the current financial year, his office has been allocated P600,000 for external travel and P60,000 for internal trips.
The former president is currently in a self-imposed exile in SA. Last month, Khama was charged with 14 offences becoming the first former president in Botswana to be charged with criminal offences.
Khama has been charged with criminal offences that include amongst others unlawful possession of a firearm, receiving stolen property, procuring the registration of a firearm by false pretence, aiding and abetting unlawful possession of a firearm, and ownership of a firearm not registered in accordance with the Arms and Ammunition Act of 2018.
While no warrant of arrest has been issued in his name for not making court appearances, there is already talk of extradition. Khama’s relocation could mess up any plans that could be underway to bring him back to the country to face the wrath of the law.
Khama and his twin brothers, Anthony and Tshekedi, recently watched their sister Jaqueline’s funeral on television amid fears of ‘harassment’.