Masisi accidentally spills the beans
Staff Writer | Monday July 25, 2022 06:00
At the time, Masisi was launching his Vice President Slumber Tsogwane at Rakops. While his May 2019 promise had left the nation in prolonged suspense, Masisi finally dished the proverbial beans on Khama this past weekend during the Botswana Democratic Party’s (BDP) National Council.
Masisi shared with the BDP forum the things he went through from his time as vice minister, minister, Vice President up to the time he became state president.
I was government’s chief negotiator with the labour unions during the 2011 mass industrial strike.
And to be honest with you, there are my friends now. And like I told them, there is nothing I feel guilty about, I’ll do it all over again,” probably in reference to the tough stance that government maintained against the unions.
Masisi told the BDP gathering how he suffered humiliation, disrespect and embarrassment from cabinet ministers during his reign as VP, which was largely influenced by the then President Khama.
However, he said he has no regrets over what happened as he supported his boss.
“I was telling some people the other just the other day that the rational I adopted as a cabinet minister the time I took oath, as pice president having taken oath and agreed to my principle to be his number one assistant and advisor. As a democrat who believes firmly in the ideals of the party, I stuck with my former president through thick and thin. I have no regrets, I have no regrets.
Tautona Lieutenant General Seretse Khama Ian Khama; I willingly agreed to be his assistant minister, I willingly agreed to be his minister, I willingly agreed to be his vice president and I submitted myself to the bigger picture of the party and the country despite the difficulties I went through.
Some of you don’t know it. I had offered to resign on four different occasions when I was vice president because It had gone to a point I thought its healthy if I left.
On the one occasion, the last occasion when I offered him my resignation it was the first time when he saw me visibly angry and I told him I got a piece of paper, ill pen my resignation and then when I come back from where I’m going ill vacate the house.
I don’t think there was ever a vice president who was disrespected the way I was by cabinet ministers and their assistant. That was encouraged by an elder (President) but I couldn’t disclose that he was the one encouraging that behavior, but I had to give in.
The level of disrespect was just too bad to an extent that some cabinet ministers winked a figure at me. At one point, Biggie Butale; an assistant minister at the time told me that if I would become the president, he is going to leave with President Khama and they are going to de-campaign me; and that is exactly what happened.
Other cabinet ministers were there, the likes of Rre Batshu. The other minister who did that was Tshekedi Khama and told me that the roads in Serowe which I said I did them, were built by Ndelu Seretse in the presence of his excellence Dr Lgt General Seretse Khama Ian Khama never ever cautioned, but I kept quite because I knew what was going on. But I then told them the truth because they wanted him to fire me from the position, I told them I have no problem if you told me to vacate the seat not them because you are the one who chose me for this position. I said just know that these people don’t hate me, but it is just the timing, they want the vice president. I told him that ill support anyone you replace me with to keep the BDP stable. Just indicate to me so that I leave so that the party is stable.
I told him that if you put one of them, a week will be more than enough before they start amongst themselves. This is against other things that were going on that I’ll come to.
He had asked me on a number of occasions why we can’t make Tshekedi Vice President. But I told him to do it himself because he had the power. And he could see that I wasn’t in a position to approach other MPs to canvass for support to endorse Tshekedi.
Because I have never believed in Tshekedi Khama’s capacity. He is incapable and has no manners. But I could not say that to my leader. He sent Parks Tafa, Mpho Balopi knows about this matter.
Masisi also spoke of how one Sunday evening before the party Central committee meeting after winning the BDP chairmainship in Mmadinare, Khama sent Parks Tafa. “For those who didn’t know Khama never supported me fully during my campaign in Mmadinare and Tonota. I knew it, but him and I were just playing a game.
Parks told me he was sent by Khama to sell me the idea to suggest to the central committee that I would leave the party chairmanship to Tshekedi in order for me prepare for the presidency. I was asked to plead with the committee to agree with my decision so that Tshekedi replaces and later on, I nominate him to be my Vice President. That’s where the issue is. I didn’t want to say it before hoping that he will reform.
Masisi said he has tried on many occasions to settle their differences with Khama through a mediation team that included party elders such as Patrick Balopi, Festus Mogae, Ponatshego Kedikilwe, David Magang, the late Ray Matlapeng Molomo but he chose his people claiming that these ones favour me.
Instead Khama chose Satar Dada, Charles Tibone, Legwaila. “I told them that they are wasting his time because they’ll not achieve aything. But I gave them my time, spending sleepless nights until they were also removed on allegations that they are also on my side.”
Masisi stated that Khama then opted for Peter and Elias Magosi to mediate who pleaded with Masisi to meet Khama. However, he said after agreeing to meet Khama never honored the appointments.
Masisi said fast-forward, Khama is going around asking presidents in the region to mediate between them. He said he has asked Zimbabwean vice president to plead with Emmerson Mnangagwa to facilitate a meeting between them while at the same time he was going around bad mouthing him. At one point he went report me to President Hakainde Hichilema But I told him to find out exactly what he is doing.
Masisi said Khama also went to King Mswati of eSwatini and asked Mswati to plead with him and allow him (Khama) to return home. I told Mswati that Khama has his passport and knows his way home.
“I spoke to Mnangagwa on the phone and told him that I’ll come to meet you. I met with Mnangagwa at Vic Falls where I told him the whole issue. I told Mnangagwa that there is so much untruth in what Khama told you. I told him that Khama is someone who want to do as he pleases without being told to stop.
The president stated that Khama gave the former presidents tough times including Sir Ketumile Masire and Festus Mogae. He cited one incident when he summoned Mogae to the State House and scolded him in his presence. He said he had to quickly think of a way to leave the room the room.
Masisi also said former president Masire told him that he was fed up with Khama.
I’ll tell you why I stuck with Khama. The time limit provided for by the constitution was the big, big blessing. I reasoned that if we crushed the leadership of the party that we had, even if it was a mistake but going forward, he was the president and he had the power and we crushed him and BDP lost power like it nearly happened in 2014, it would take time for the BDP to come back to power.
The other reason is if you pledge allegiance to support the leadership, you do it all the way until you get to a point where you say it is irreconcilable but the honorable thing to do is to resign which is why I offered him my resignation four times.