Bakgatla hold meeting at sacred site

MONKAGEDI GAOTLHOBOGWE
Staff Writer | Friday June 18, 2010 00:00

Yesterday, Bakgatla deputy paramount chief, Bana Sekai declined to shed light on the meeting yesterday addressed by one of the princes. Unlike other meetings, this one was attended strictly by Bakgatla's initiated men from various tribal regiments.

According to Bakgatla traditions, nothing discussed at the famed Molapong must reach the ears of the uninitiated.The meeting comes at a time when Bakgatla royals including paramount chief Kgafela II, his brother Mmusi, Sekai and several members of their regiments are waiting to be prosecuted for whipping five people.

Yesterday, Sekai told  Mmegi  he cannot discuss the meeting with an uninitiated man and demanded to know which tribal regiment the reporter belongs. He said that whatever is discussed at Molapong remains a secret. 

'I am not threatening you, but should you entice anyone who attended the meeting into giving you information, you will regret it; that stuff is not for public consumption. If we have news for the public, we hold the meeting at the Kgotla where everyone, including journalists are free to come and listen.  However we will not entertain journalists who distort our messages,' Sekai said.

He added that people about should not worry about the Molapong meeting because as a society Bakgatla are free to hold closed-door gatherings just like organisations such as the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP).

Meanwhile  Moemedi Letina, the District Commissioner in Mochudi says he has no authority to suspend or take disciplinary actions against bogosi (the royals).  Critics say the DC's silence on peace and security issues in Kgatleng is alarming.

They say that he should have been the first to  condemn human rights violations by Bakgatla royals and their notorious  vigilantes.

So far unlawful acts by the vigilantes have been condemned by the Attorney-General, the Minister of Local Government and President Ian Khama.

But the DC told Mmegi that he is a royal subject who cannot question the paramount chief. 'In fact we work together with the Kgosi. I think people now want to cause bad blood between me and the Kgosi. Security issues belong with the police, as for me my office is concerned with development and welfare of Kgatleng District,' he said.Bakgatla royals and their vigilantes are currently facing  six  criminal charges over the floggings in Mochudi and vandalisation of  a cell phone tower.