Inside Kgosi's last hours
Staff Writer | Friday May 4, 2018 15:00
He had apparently told those close to him that he expected it.
“He was okay with it. You must know that every transition leads to change. It was a matter of time before he was shown the door,” a Kgosi confidante said.
On Wednesday, Masisi terminated Kgosi’s contract and had him replaced by former Botswana Defence Force (BDF) Chief of Staff and Commander of Ground Forces, Brigadier Peter Magosi who was forced into early retirement by former president, Ian Khama two years ago. Kgosi has been at the helm of the controversial DIS since April 1, 2008.
It is alleged that the Permanent Secretary to the President (PSP) Carter Morupisi summoned him to the Office of the President and broke the news to him.
“Morupisi was with some people when he delivered the letter terminating his employment.”
It is said Kgosi expected Masisi, not Morupisi, to deliver the sucker punch. Although Kgosi claimed to be content with his fate, he told friends that he did not expect the news this week since he met Masisi on Monday after the latter arrived from a Lesotho State visit.
“The President didn’t indicate he was not satisfied with his job.”
The source said it was not true that Kgosi’s former juniors escorted him outside the DIS headquarters.
“After he was told that he was no longer the DG, he went back to the office to pack his things. He even went back to do a proper handover to his successor, Peter Magosi yesterday,” the source said.
Kgosi and Magosi are former colleagues from the BDF. Magosi worked under Kgosi when the latter was head of intelligence in the army.
Another thing, the source pointed out, was that he has reached the retirement age of 60 and was to retire soon anyway.
He was employed on a permanent and pensionable basis contrary to reports that Khama had given him a five-year contract before he handed power over to Masisi.
He even hinted this at the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee hearing on the National Petroleum Fund saga that he was not given a contract.
Kgosi refused to discuss the termination of his employment. He only said that it was premature to comment at this stage.