BDP seeks peace with Khama
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Wednesday August 13, 2025 08:43
The BDP leadership will travel to Serowe on August 23, 2025, to meet Kgosikgolo Khama IV, his uncles, and the Bogosi, delivering a formal apology for what the party now calls its “wrongs and regrettable actions” of the past.
The occasion will be the first high-profile engagement between the two sides since relations broke down more than a decade ago.
The rift between the BDP and the Khama family widened after Khama stepped down from the presidency in 2018, leading to public clashes with his successor, former president Mokgweetsi Masisi.
By 2019, political differences had deepened into a split, with Khama’s allies forming the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF). The BPF quickly consolidated support in the Central District, historically the BDP’s electoral stronghold, delivering repeated defeats against the ruling party, including the 2024 General Election. However, the BDP acknowledges that one of its most serious mistakes was refusing Bangwato the use of their kgotla to deliberate on matters concerning Kgosikgolo. This, the party concedes, was not only wrong but also a violation of the traditions and culture of the Bangwato and Batswana in general. In a statement dated August 11, 2025, the BDP Secretary-General Kentse Spencer Rammidi announced the planned visit and apology, citing the party’s constitutional commitment to justice and peace under Preamble C. He said the guiding principle is “ntwa kgolo ke ya molomo” and “mafoko a kgotla a mantle otlhe”, emphasising that disputes are best resolved through dialogue and that every voice in the kgotla deserves to be heard. 'Upon reflection, we accept that it was wrong and regrettable for the BDP government of the time to deny Bangwato the use of their kgotla. We are thankful to Kgosikgolo Khama IV, his uncles, and the Bogosi for granting us an opportunity to render our apology. Phoso e tsalwa ke motho, e boe e baakanngwe ke motho,' Rammidi stated. The meeting will take place against a complex political backdrop. In recent months, the BPF has strengthened its cooperation with the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), the country’s main opposition coalition. Two BPF Members of Parliament have been appointed as Assistant Ministers in the UDC-led government, and the party has openly pledged its support for the UDC in Parliament. This alliance has solidified the BPF’s position in the opposition bloc, creating a formidable barrier to any quick political realignment in the Central District. For the BDP, the upcoming Serowe meeting is therefore more than just a cultural reconciliation; it is also a strategic step towards re-engaging a community and leadership that once formed the heart of its political base. Whilst the outcome remains uncertain, the August 23 gathering will mark a significant moment in Botswana’s political narrative. If successful, it could open the door to renewed cooperation between the BDP and the Bangwato leadership. If not, it will still stand as a symbolic gesture, an attempt to bridge a divide that has shaped the country’s political landscape for over a decade.