Mmusi speaks out
Lerato Maleke | Monday May 19, 2014 15:18
In an interview with The Monitor Mmusi who has been reluctant to talk to the media about bogosi issues stated that his family wants Kgafela back, particularly him and their brother Bakgatle.
He says it has been a long absence by their leader, adding that, “Kgafela must make peace with government and move freely in Botswana”.
Mmusi said that it hurts to see the tribe without its Paramount Chief.
“I know that it is not easy for Kgafela to do that, but we want peace and we want our brother as well to enjoy the peace and freedom that other people and other dikgosi have,” said Mmusi.
Of the recent Kgotla meeting held in Mochudi, where the Mangana (Kgafela’s regiment), discussed a draft petition to be handed to President Ian Khama, Mmusi confirmed that all members of the royal family were invited. None of the royals attended the meeting.
“We did not attend for a valid reason. It is not that we absconded,” he explains.
According to Mmusi, the reason why they did not attend the meeting is that they did not want to break procedure.
“It is not procedural that a mophato calls a Kgotla meeting. What we know is that a Paramount Chief can do so or the one holding the fort like our uncle Bana Sekai Linchwe has been doing,” he says.
Mmusi says that they were also avoiding possible conflict that may arise from their participation in such a meeting as royals.
He says that he could not specify whether Kgafela knew about the meeting called by his regiment.
With Kgatleng politicians using the Kgotla as a platform for their campaigns, Mmusi says that every Mokgatla is free to make contributions at the kgotla.
“Those politicians are Bakgatla and they are free to take part in Kgotla meetings,” he asserts.
However, he says that politicians should guard against the language they use at the Kgotla, more so that the recent meeting discussed issues relating to the Paramount Chief.
He says that even Kgafela would expect all members of the tribe to conduct themselves accordingly.
Mmusi, like Kgafela, is a lawyer by profession. He says that they should be exemplary and take a lead, adding that he cannot condone lawlessness in Kgatleng.
He said that he is not aware of what the politicians raised at the Kgotla but warns that all Bakgatla should unite as a tribe and make sure to bring back their Paramount Chief “in a well organised manner.”
Asked if he supports the Mangana regiment and their efforts to petition for Kgafela’s return Mmusi could neither say yes or no. He only says that he wants Kgafela to return to Botswana.
With Sekai banned Mmusi said that the next royal in line should be Bakgatle.
However, that alone does not change the fact that another of their uncles, Segale Linchwe, was reinstated as senior chief representative following Sekai’s ban. This is also despite the fact that Sekai is older than Segale.
For the sake of emphasis Mmusi reiterates Advocate Sidney Pilane’s comments that earned him some booing during a Kgotla meeting early this year. At the time Pilane had informed the tribe that Bakgatle is the most senior person after Kgafela not Sekai.
“But now that rangwane (uncle Sekai) has been banned it means Segale now holds the fort at the Kgotla, but all in all the most senior person after the Paramount Chief is Bakgatle,“ he says.
When Mmegi contacted Kgosi Segale Linchwe he said that he is senior at the Kgotla now that deputy Paramount Chief Bana Sekai has been banned.
He reveals that there is now progress at the main Kgotla where pending cases are concerned now that he has been reinstated.
He also says that government has paid him his full salary since last year when they won the appeal against vandalising a Mascom tower.
Segale says that there are about 40 cases pending since their suspension and that they have engaged two dikgosana to assist.
He said that his next step is to call a meeting for all dikgosana in Kgatleng and that after consultation with them, “that is when I can call a Kgotla meeting.”
He, however, says that he is not in a position to divulge more on the Kgatleng bogosi, but adds, “go sa ntse go na le dintwa”.