Khama offers Bakgatla 'heaven'
Innocent Selatlhwa | Friday February 16, 2018 15:21
Before that, Kgafela’s brother Mmusi Kgafela was recruited into the ruling party and is set to battle it out for the Mochudi West parliamentary seat next year.
Scores of Bakgatla left their Kgotla a happy people yesterday after President Ian Khama delivered tonnes of good news and assured them that the government has nothing against them.
The main good news was pronouncement by Khama saying that he was ready to grant Kgafela citizenship and recognise him as paramount chief of Bakgatla.
“According to the Constitution of Botswana, only those who are Batswana and residing in the country can be recognised as Dikgosi. Tell Kgafela to come reside in Botswana and apply for citizenship. I will grant it to him and recognise him. You should hurry up because I have only six weeks left before I step down,” he said.
The news was met with ululations and murmuring showing that Bakgatla had just heard the best news yet. Mochudi West legislator, Gilbert Mangole had during his farewell speech to the President called on the him to recognise Kgafela stating that it would earn him Bakgatla’s love as they want their leader to return home.
Kgafela was derecognised by Lebonaamang Mokalake, the then Minister of Local Government on October 28, 2011, as provided for in the Bogosi Act of 2008.
Kgafela was derecognised for having (a) frustrated government efforts to consult and communicate with Kgatleng community on developmental issues that affect the community; (b) abused his powers by ordering Dikgosana in Kgatleng to ignore and frustrate ministers’ efforts in their bid to hold meetings in Kgatleng District.
Khama also said that any concern by Sekai and Mangole regarding the hospital they were long promised would be dealt with.
“The problem of hospitals is widespread. Most of our hospitals are dilapidated, but we are going to build you a very big hospital. The design will be completed in the next year at the tune of P175 million. Construction will then take place in the subsequent year,” he said to ululations and whistling by morafe.
Khama also promised Bakgatla that Kgotla offices are currently being designed and that it would be built in due course.
He also promised that he would follow up on the Mmamashia-Malowane bridge that Sekai had requested an update on. He advised that if it was taking long they could use the P10 million allocated to constituencies annually.
Meanwhile, Sekai also expressed concern about married couples that work in different areas. He said it led to a lot of divorce cases and called on the President to try remedy the situation.
“Eysh, that one is not easy to deal with. Some people have partners in private entities that we cannot control.
Even in government sometimes people are transferred on promotion because there are no posts where they are. The issue of transfers is also a headache, as people do not want rural areas. But we shall continue trying to keep married people in one place,” he said.
Just like in other areas, Khama received presents including livestock and other valuables. He was given eight cows and a bull, 11 goats, six sheep, 30 chickens, four ducks, cash, chairs, trees and many other goods.