Bogosi, tribe ready for BDP
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Friday August 22, 2025 10:50
The event is not just an ordinary political gathering; it carries the weight of history, strained relations, and the possibility of reconciliation between the former ruling party and the Bangwato tribe. Coordinator of the meeting, Amigo Nthebolang, has shed light on the essence of the occasion, explaining that it is grounded in both Christian values and the Setswana cultural principle of botho.
Nthebolang told Mmegi in an interview yesterday that the BDP’s visit is widely viewed as a gesture of apology for the manner in which the party handled its relationship with the Khama family and the the tribe during its years in power, especially the last five years.
According to him, the tribe endured immense suffering, particularly when they were denied access to their own kgotla, a traditional and fundamental gathering place central to Setswana governance and identity. “We cannot allow a situation where we deny people or even a political party the opportunity to apologise,” Nthebolang explained. “This is one of the core values of our culture, which is Botho. Botho is a supreme thing. We will listen, and after that it will be up to the tribe to decide how they wish to respond. Our role as coordinators is to facilitate the process, not to speak ahead of them,” he said.
In stressing this point, Nthebolang said that the upcoming meeting is not merely a political manoeuvre but rather an exercise in cultural and moral obligation.
Reconciliation, he argued, should be embraced when a party demonstrates remorse, regardless of past conflicts. However, speculation has been rife that the BDP’s engagement in Serowe might be part of a wider political strategy aimed at former President Ian Khama, whose relationship with the party soured after leaving office. Many observers have wondered whether this could be a prelude to his return to the political scene. Nthebolang firmly dismissed such a claim. “Khama is not having that interest at all,” he said, adding that the former president remains distant from political ambitions. He emphasised that the gathering is not designed to revive Khama’s political career but to allow the BDP an opportunity to acknowledge past wrongs and seek forgiveness from the tribe.
The reaction among the Bangwato has been mixed. Some members view the BDP’s initiative with skepticism, suspecting it could be a calculated political move rather than a genuine apology. Yet others, including elders and Khama’s uncles, have embraced the gesture wholeheartedly. According to Nthebolang, the uncles’ acceptance is significant because they hold moral authority within the tribe and are considered custodians of tradition and wisdom. “As a tribe, we feel it is a good thing to do, especially when we consider the decades that the BDP has ruled the country,” Nthebolang said.
He further reflected on how the restriction of the Bangwato from using their kgotla was a painful chapter that left a deep scar.
The kgotla, in Setswana culture, is not just a physical structure; it represents freedom of assembly, the right to participate in decision-making, and the beating heart of communal life. To deny a tribe access to it, Nthebolang argued, was to strip them of their identity and dignity.
“When we were denied the use of our kgotla, we were denied recognition as a people. That experience undermined us as a tribe, and it is why this moment, when the BDP comes to apologise, carries so much meaning,” he said. For Nthebolang, therefore, the meeting in Serowe is not about political calculations but about moral restoration. The tribe is prepared to listen, weigh the sincerity of the apology, and then collectively decide how to proceed. The principle of Botho, he emphasised, demands that forgiveness is always possible, even if wounds run deep. Whatever the outcome, the event underscores a critical truth in Botswana’s political and cultural life.