Long walk to Bakalanga freedom
Pini Bothoko | Friday March 3, 2017 15:32
Before the country attained its independence, back in 1930s a conflict arose between the Bakalanga ba-ka-Nswazwi and the Bangwato over tax payments that the latter had instructed the former to pay.
The conflict between the two tribes lasted for years and the Bakalanga, under the leadership of She (Kgosi) John Madawu Nswazwi, were banished to Rhodesia in 1946 by the colonial government after numerous vitriolic encounters with then Bangwato regent Tshekedi Khama.
But in 1959 after negotiations between Botswana and Rhodesian authorities, the Bakalanga were allowed to come back home but Kgosi Nswazwi remained because he was not well.
Unfortunately Nswazwi never returned as he died on May 14, 1960 and many of his subjects who had stayed with him decided to settle in Zimbabwe.
When it appeared that the matter was forgotten, She Nswazwi’s remains were exhumed in 2002 and reburied in Botswana and it was reported that the group that had remained with him in Zimbabwe had expressed wishes to come back home.
After four years since She Nswazwi’s remains were reburied in Botswana, the Ba-ka-Nswazwi who had sought refuge in Zimbabwe finally returned home.
President Ian Khama welcomed them where they were given residential plots, land to plough and rear livestock, as majority of them were farmers. One could wonder if the Bangwato’s control over the Bakalanga will ever end looking at what is currently happening at Sebina village chieftainship.
Unlike other villages in Botswana, the Sebina people do not have a Kgotla with a flag and a headman of records something that residents are not happy with.
The only Kgotla with a flag popularly known as BB1 at Sebina village is owned by Bangwato, something that residents are currently angry with and accusing the Bangwato of colonialism.
Historically, the Bangwato chiefs built BB1 kgotla as their resting place on their way from Serowe to Nswazwi during their battle with Bakalanga ba-ka-Nswazwi.
Later on, they (Bangwato) gave BB1 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 amongst the Manshamakose and its chieftainship is not determined by royalty but by election.
One could wonder if the conflict between Bakalanga and Bangwato will ever end, as today the chieftainship of the Bakalanga of Sebina village is still controlled by the Bangwato.
Last year October the Bangwato royals appointed Shathani Mokoka from Marapong village as the new headman of records for BB1 Kgotla and until to date residents of Sebina are still not happy with his appointment.
The situation is so dire that the village chieftainship and residents are now sidelining Mokoka when addressing issues of their village. During Mokoka’s inauguration the village’s dikgosana announced that they were not happy with his appointment and do not think that they will ever be able to welcome him in their village.
The Sebina village leadership once bemoaned lack of privacy in their village because they discuss their issues in the presence of Manshamakose chiefs at BB1 Kgotla.
Under the claims that all of the Manshamakose villages have dikgotla with flags and headmen of records, residents of Sebina village now want to claim the chieftainship of BB1 Kgotla.
For years the Sebina village elders have been writing letters to Bangwato tribal headquarters in a bid to have their own kgotla complete with a flag and a headman of records but their pleas seem to have fallen on deaf ears, as they have not received any response from Serowe.
In the past Shathani Kgakanyane, headman of Sebina ward told this publication that they were once told by the Bangwato that there is no how a village can have two main Kgotlas with flags something that was not well received by the residents.
Following this, last year December a general meeting was convened where the residents vowed to take the matter to court.
When recently asked about this matter the Bangwato regent, Kgosi Sediegeng Kgamane pleaded with Sebina residents to exercise patience in issues surrounding their chieftainship saying despite taking too long they are being addressed.
Kgamane conceded to be aware of their pleas and that residents are not happy that they do not have a Kgotla with a flag from the letters that he has been receiving from them.
“This is one bogosi issue that we are currently addressing and residents of Sebina should be patient with us,” Kgamane said. He said they cannot temper with the laws or structures that are currently in place.
Kgamane stated that it was a sensitive issue that should be discussed in a calm manner, with proper channels being followed as its decision could affect the country’s governance.
He explained that there are some villages with similar complaints hence the decision taken will not only affect the Sebina people but other villages with a similar problem. In the meantime Bakalanga’s patience is wearing thin.