Sebina residents cry foul over Bangwato �colonisation�
Pini Bothoko | Tuesday September 20, 2016 17:19
The residents said that they are tired of being ‘colonised’ by the Bangwato royals to the extent that they do not have a Kgotla manned by a headman of records like other villages. About 5,000 people attended the event, but the villagers hardly ululated seemingly in protest to the fact that the new chief was not going to lead them. Only murmurs could be heard.
The new chief, Shathani Mokoka, was filling a post that fell vacant following the expiry of Bonyongo Masalila’s contract mid-last year.
The villagers said that they have long asked to have a Kgotla of their own, but their pleas fall on deaf ears.
The Kgotla that provokes the ire of Sebina residents is said to belong to the Bangwato from Serowe. It is said that Bangwato built the Kgotla decades ago before the country gained independence as their resting place on their way from Serowe to Nswazwi during their skirmishes with the Bakalanga ba-ka Nswazwi.
Later on the Bangwato handed over the Kgotla to the eight villages of Marobela, Nshakazhogwe, Marapong, Kombani and Sebina, aptly naming it Ma-nsha-ma-ko-se (Manshamakose), which represents the first vowelled letters of each village. The chieftainship of BB1 is shared on a rotational basis between villagers of Manshamakose although all the villages under the banner of Manshamakose each have their own headman of records. Airing his views, Balangani Nthume, said it was crystal clear that the Bangwato royals were undermining them since they did not even bother to come to the inauguration ceremony.
“We are not happy at all. The Bangwato royal family was supposed to have been here to address issues surrounding the Bogosi of this Kgotla, but they failed to come because they are cowards,” Nthume said.
He added: “The Bangwato owe us an explanation because we have long written letters asking when our Kgotla will be upgraded to the headman of records level”. Another resident, Mbiganyi Pabalinga, said that it is disheartening that in this day and era when the country is about to celebrate its golden jubilee, they are literally colonised by Bangwato royals who make key decisions governing their lives.
“It is sad how the Bangwato treat us. Sebina is a big village, but we do not have a Kgotla with a flag like other villages while Bangwato own a Kgotla in ours. This is not fair and we are not happy,” said Pabalinga, adding that the arrangement should be stopped with immediate effect. He added: “There is (the) Bogosi Act that is used in Botswana, but we do not know which Act they are using to deny us the right to have our own Kgotla with a flag and headman of records”.
Reached for comment on the sidelines of the ceremony, Shathani Kgakanyane - headman of Sebina ward - said they are not happy because unlike other villages, they do not have a Kgotla with a flag in their village. Kgakanyane said it is not fair that Bangwato own a Kgotla with a flag in their village whilst Sebina village does not have its own.
“We are currently using the Manshamakose Kgotla as our main Kgotla although we share the Kgotla with people from other villages. We don’t have privacy because we discuss our issues in front of Manshamakose chiefs,” Kgakanyane said.
Kgakanyane said what hurts them the most is that they have long pleaded for their Kgotla to be upgraded, but the Bangwato royal family refused on the grounds that a single village cannot have two main Kgotlas with flags.
Reached for comment, the Bangwato regent, Kgosi Sediegeng Kgamane said he was held up in meetings and could not comment on the matter, but referred Mmegi to the deputy regent, Serogola Seretse. Seretse could not comment saying he does not have full details on the matter.