Khama free to travel with friend Olopeng - OP

LEKOPANYE MOOKETSI
Correspondent | Tuesday June 15, 2010 00:00

'Legally and administratively, there is nothing wrong with it,' he said.  He said the president is privileged to take anybody as a 'special guest'.

Madisa said the president has a prerogative to take his friends or anybody on an official trip.  He said even the previous presidents did the same thing.Although he could not recall the name, he said, former President Festus Mogae used to take with him, a certain man from Molepolole.

Madisa was making reference to Khama's confidant, Thapelo Olopeng, who accompanied the president on a Cuban trip last week.  Olopeng was part of the president's delegation. In response to a questionaire, Madisa said Olopeng was just a friend of President Khamas.

Olopeng, a former soldier is said to be very close to Khama. Last year, Olopeng addressed a Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) rally in Gumare. 

The presidential spokesman said when Olopeng is accompanying the president, he is not assigned any official duties, nor does he claim any subsistence allowance.

This is not the first time that Olopeng has accompanied Khama.  In the past he has accompanied the president even on local trips. 

Amongst others who accompanied Khama to Cuba are the Minister of Health, Dr John Seakgosing, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Phandu Skelemani and the Minister of Education and Skills Development, Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi.

Meanwhile, President Khama and his entourage arrived back in Gaborone from Cuba on Sunday morning. According to a press release from the Office of the President, the international tour also took him to the United States, for the annual Conservation International Board Meeting in Chicago, and London, for a Raisa Gorbachev Foundation fundraising event to fight cancer.

The release said while in Cuba, Khama held talks with his Cuban counterpart, President of the Council of Ministers and State Gen. Raul Castro Ruz, in which the two leaders pledged to re-double their joint efforts in further enhancing the two countries longstanding bilateral cooperation.

The four day State visit culminated in the signing of a number of accords in the areas of healthcare, education, and sports.