Kenneth Koma is no more

OLIVER MODISE
Staff Writer | Tuesday March 20, 2007 00:00

Koma, fondly called 'KK', passed away at around 1am on Monday, three days after he was admitted to the Mahalapye Primary Hospital.

Although the medical officer in charge of the Mahalapye primary Hospital, Dr Kunal Bose, would not reveal details 'until all the family members had been informed', Koma's elder brother, Gojamang Koma, confirmed to Mmegi that for a long time his sibling had been a sugar diabetes and high blood pressure patient.

'His high blood pressure and diabetes have been forcing him in and out of hospital,' he said.

Speaking in a telephone interview from Mahalapye where the funeral is expected to be held, Gojamang  said the illnesses had kept his younger brother bed-ridden most of the time.    

'He was admitted at Princess Marina Hospital (Gaborone) three weeks ago before coming home and he had to be hospitalised here,' he said.

Born of Shololo Koma and Segadimang Koma in 1923, Dr Koma formed the BNF in 1965 and in the process became one of the pioneers of Botswana's opposition politics. Koma tasted power in 1984 after the infamous Tshiamo ballot box saga when he beat the late former vice president Peter Mmusi for the Gaborone South Constituency.

Koma is credited with drafting most of the BNF's manifestoes and doctrines, especially Pamphlet Number 1, which for the past two decades has been treated as the party's mini bible. In 1998, he dissolved the trouble-torn BNF central committee.

Following a court battle with a section of the party's dissidents over the control of the party, Koma emerged victorious while his rivals, led by Michael Dingake, went on to form the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) in what came to be known as the Palapye debacle.
Koma retired from active politics in 2004 and went on to become a senior adviser of the National Democratic Front (NDF), another of the many BNF offshoots.

When talking to Mmegi, author of Dr Koma's biography, Poloko Moeng, said that it was unfortunate that the veteran politician has died before the release of the book about his life. The biography, titled: Dr Koma; The father of Opposition Politics, is due to be published some time this year.

Koma is to be buried in Mahalapye over the weekend.