The Establishment Of The Protectorate (Part 11) �Sebele Resists Colonial Rule�

Jeff Ramsay | Monday August 10, 2015 17:11

The region had been drifting towards crisis since the May 1891 Order-in-Council. In October 1891 “Morena Maaka” Shippard used its authority to impose license fees on the Protectorate’s traders. When the southern dikgosi questioned his decree, they were told that they had no say in the matter. Despite this rebuke, Sebele decided to forbid Asian and Boer merchants operating in Kweneng from paying the fees, arguing that they were not the Queen’s Englishmen.

In February 1892 Shippard’s new Deputy Commissioner for the Southern Protectorate, William Surmon, tried to force the Kweneng traders to pay. Surmon’s post had also been created in October 1891 “with the view of keeping in check the somewhat turbulent Chiefs Linchwe and Sebele.” When BBP tried to close an Asian shop for non-payment, Sebele had it reopened. Thereafter, two policemen tried to collect payment from a Boer trader but were stopped by a Bakwena mob. Sebele informed the police that “he refused to allow anyone trading on his ground to pay any license whatever; he was the man to whom licenses had to be paid, not the English Government”.

Shippard responded by calling for tough action: “I am of the opinion that the matter is too serious to be safely treated as a mere case of obstructing the police in the performance of their duties...It appears to me beyond doubt that this case is regarded by the other Chiefs, and the natives generally in the Southern Protectorate, as a test, and that any further attempt to collect licenses, or exact payment of fine, will be resisted. I should deprecate any threats or demands which we might not be prepared immediately to enforce...

“Towards this end I think the first step should be to come to an understanding with Khama, and obtain from him his promise of assistance in the event of trouble arising in the Southern Protectorate. In any case, and whether annexation be decided on or not, it appears to me to be necessary to make immediate preparations for coercive measures.” The High Commissioner reluctantly agreed to preparations for a possible joint assault on Molepolole by the police and Bangwato, though he feared that the Bakgatla, Bangwaketse and Batlokwa would join the Bakwena if fighting broke out.

Sebele, however, backed down by donating ten cattle to Surmon as a sign of his “friendship.” He added: “My ancestors kept their villages in good order without acting under the compulsion of others. Friendship does not mean giving laws to another. Friendship is to advise each other.”

To Shippard’s frustration his Colonial Office superiors welcomed this development; further instructing Shippard through the High Commissioner that he could impose fees only “with the consent of the Chiefs.” The peaceful resolution of the crisis over the imposition of trading licenses did not resolve the larger issue of Rhodes-ian BSACO rights within Botswana. In August 1892 A.A. Baumann, a British MP with interests in Sebele’s “Secheleland Concession”, wrote to the Colonial Office protesting continued efforts to have non-BSACO concessions cancelled. In reply he was informed that the Government had decided to form a Commission of Enquiry to look into the whole question of concessions.

The 1893 Concessions Commission was not an impartial body. Its task was to disallow those concessions which clashed with BSACO interests. Still insisting that he, not Queen Victoria, had the authority to decide such matters, Sebele through his lawyer Charles Leonard QC responded by refusing to recognise the Commission’s authority; a position that was subsequently taken up by the other non-BSACO concessions.  Thus, when the Commission issued its report, its legitimacy had already been undermined. Recognising this, the Colonial Office delayed so as to give the BSACO the opportunity to reach private agreements with the dikgosi and/or rival concessionaires.

In February 1894 Morena Maaka tried once more to provoke a war against the southern Dikgosi. Earlier the Bakaa, who had been living with the Bakwena since 1849, had broken up into two factions following the death of their Kgosi Mosinyi, leading to disputes over cattle.

With the assistance of Bathoen and other neighbouring dikgosi, Sebele awarded the royal cattle to one of the claimants, Segotso. But, this was rejected by Shippard, who backed the rival claims of Khama’s son-in-law Tshwene.

Surmon was then appointed to hold an enquiry with the assistance of Khama’s secretary Ratshosa, the proceedings of which shocked the Bakgatla and Bangwaketse as well as Bakwena who came to witness the proceedings. Surmon simply gave all the cattle to Tshwene, without specifying how many he was owed. When 196 were delivered, another 200 were demanded.

Sebele then decided to oppose the judgment, which Shippard tried to use as a pretext for his deposition, leading to new plans to have the BBP burn down Molepolole. Even after Sebele agreed to submit to Surmon’s demand, Shippard proceeded with his scheme.

Fortunately, the High Commissioner ordered the police to stand down, while subsequently dismissing Shippard’s allegation that Linchwe and Sebele were preparing to join the Amandebele in a new uprising.