Khama dragged into Baherero chieftainship row

KEOBONYE MAJATSIE
Correspondent | Tuesday March 13, 2012 00:00

 

Karipama lost his cool at a meeting held at the Mahalapye main Kgotla when those mandated to relay his tribe's sufferings to the president failed to do so, arguing that it was not the right platform for the message.The Herero elder allegedly 'hijacked' the meeting and told Khama that the Baherero were being ill-treated by the Mahalapye tribal leadership. 

In a letter addressed to Khama dated February 19, 2012, the publicity secretary of the Chief Advisory Committee at the Herero ward, Godknows Wateka, explained that neither the Botswana government nor the Paramount Chief of Bangwato is oppressing them.He fingered the Kgosi of Mahalapye for ill-treating Baherero. Explaining Karipama's outbursts at the Kgotla meeting attended by Khama, Wateka said: 'In principle it was not the right platform perhaps to have raised such a complaint since it was filed with the Ministry of Local Government last year and to which we are awaiting an appropriate response.' The issue dates back to 2009. Wateka revealed that the accusations were once made in 2009 at a meeting at the Herero Kgotla attended by officials from the District Commissioner's office, the Mahalapye West parliamentary office, the Herero ward councillor and some dikgosi from other Mahalapye wards. The complaint was first filed with the Bangwato regent, Kgosi Sediegeng Kgamane in 2010. Wateka alleged that the regent failed to take action, prompting Baherero to take up the matter with the Ministry of Local Government in 2011.

'Once again, I wish to apologise for the gentleman, namely Katjipotu Karipama for failing to convey and expand the true existing story and leaving you wondering in the dark. Your highness, I hope and trust that your office would look into this matter in anticipation,' Wateka wrote in his letter to Khama. In another correspondence between the Baherero and Kgamane, which was copied to the Private Secretary to the President, the tribe registered its displeasure at the delay as well as the protracted response from Kgamane regarding their dispute with the Mahalapye tribal authority.

'We do humbly acknowledge your busy schedule and other official engagements you participate in but we have legitimate expectation that this matter should have been by now given a slot within your schedule taking into account it's sensitivity and seriousness,' they wrote.  (Sila Press Agency)