End the GammaNgwato chieftainship spats

Mmegi Editor | Monday March 18, 2024 06:00

The chieftainship spats between Seretse and Khama’s uncles have purely degenerated into a permanent elephant in the room and it does not seem anyone cares to ensure this hurdle is dealt with promptly for the attainment of peace for GammaNgwato’s bogosi.

Just as the proverbial, when two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers aptly suggests, and so is the state of the institution of bogosi in GammaNgwato.

Such is the case because the institution has been besieged by tribal splitting ruckus.

Therefore, the good name of Bogosi institution has been badly soiled and it seems the institution now is a carpet under the feet of Seretse and Khama’s uncles.

It is also painfully worrying that the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, which directly supervises bogosi headed by Kgotla Autlwetse, has been fairing badly in finding a permanent solution to the crisis.

Autlwetse hails from Serowe, the capital of GammaNgwato and he has been very partial in dealing with issues emanating from GammaNgwato kgotla in Serowe.

Partiality is a bad ingredient that might undermine progress and has a potential to breed hatred and arrogance. The minister has seemingly chosen a side in this matter, which can be calamitous if not nipped in the bud. As a parent in this case, Autlwetse as the ministry’s political head, should know better that solutions to GammaNgwato bogosi are contained in the Bogosi Act.

We know for a fact that this is a piece of legislation in Botswana that defines the office of bogosi or “chieftainship” amongst Botswana’s various tribes. It is the Balopi Commission of 2000 that recommended for the Bogosi Act amendment and a move from the previous Chieftainship Act where issues of bogosi can now be dealt with appropriately.

We still remember how during his tenure as the head of the same Ministry, now Vice President Slumber Tsogwane was able to quell emerging bogosi quandaries amongst certain tribes. Tsogwane was successful in that regard. Autlwetse can succeed if he borrows a leaf from Tsogwane. Back to Kgosi Seretse. As a kgosi, you should be guided principally amongst others by the tired Setswana saying that, “kgosi thotobolo e olela matlakala” which suggests that a kgosi is there for all and sundry no matter what. Go back to the drawing board as the incumbent and do not allow yourself to be derailed by personal issues as you may have a rough tenure in the process.

Perception, good or bad, is part of humanity and should never confuse you. Khama’s uncles should go to a court of law if they feel offended or hard done by the decisions made by Kgosi Seretse rather than being comfortable with attacking the man they differ with openly as that diminishes the status of their own kgotla rather than the man himself. If indeed this is a principle that they have to fight for, all doors are open for them and their actions should be above board.