The Nata chieftainship conflict

DAMM KAASHEE | Wednesday September 5, 2007 00:00

The Nata village has not escaped this phenomenon. Recent newspaper reports have carried the story of the conflict of who should be the chief. This conflict seems to be tearing the village of Nata apart. The residents of Nata village, who are predominantly Basarwa, believe that the chief should come from their own tribe. On the other hand other people believe that the chief should be elected in line with the laws of the country.

According to these laws, which have been intensively criticizes and challenged by minority groups, villages and tribes which do not belong to the eight Tswana speaking tribes cannot have a paramount chief. The chiefs in these villages are elected by the people with the approval of the paramount chief of the eight Tswana speaking tribes and the minister who is a politician of the ruling party, which enacted these laws.

It is reported in the Mmegi newspaper that the contestant to the Nata chieftainship has complained that the chieftainship elections in Nata are marred by political influences. The man has reportedly accused certain politicians of influencing the people to vote against him. He cited one Stephen who stood for the council seat under the banner of BCP and also a contender in the chieftainship races as one of the politicians who is influencing people.

Though the involvement of politicians is not my concern and the subject of this paper, I just want to take a few moments to comment on it. I do not see anything wrong with the involvement of politicians in chieftainship. It is apparently clear that in Botswana the ruling party is using chieftainship to its advantage. We have heard of cases where a person who was elected as a chief was refused by the minister because he was not a member or sympathiser of the ruling party.

We know that the vice president of the country is a politician and also a paramount chief and he has on numerous occasions reminded the people, even in parliament, that they should not forget that he is 'their' chief. Some members of parliament have in the past been asked to withdraw their statements because they did not speak well of the chief.
My concern in the Nata chieftainship conflict is not who will or supposed to be elected to the chieftainship but from which tribe should he/she come. I know by now that those who are reading this piece might be starting to cry tribalism but I do not mind because I have heard that deceiving cry before, especially where minority emancipation is concerned.

It is an undisputable fact that the Basarwa are the first inhabitants of Nata and deserve the right to representation. I know that many will jump to interject by saying that everyone has the right to reside wherever he wants. I do not challenge that but I do believe that everyone is supposed to respect and live under the leadership of the people he finds in a certain location. If you go to the Ngwato area, whether you are Mokgatla or European you need to live under the leadership of the Ngwato. You do not get there and start undermining their authority and even canvass to take over the chieftainship.

I believe the reason why people want to lead in an area that they go and live in, especially in areas of the so called minority group has to do with the reality that the govt of the day does not recognise the chiefs of the minority tribes. Where the chieftainship of the minority tribes is concerned people can contest for it but not so with the chieftainship of the so-called eight main tribes.

I would like to appeal to the people who are not of San origin to stay away from the Nata chieftainship. I would also urge the powers that be and the government of Domkrag to protect the interest of the minority. I would also like to call upon the residents of Nata to stand up and fight for their constitutional rights.

They have the right to representation of a person from their tribe like any other tribe in Botswana. The residents of Nata should not be intimidated. They should rise up and fight for what belongs to them and if need be should end up in the courts of the land like the residents of Jamataka and CKGR. Gone are the days when everything was taken from us including our children because we are Basarwa. The days of serfdom and slavery are over.

There is a new wave of San revolution, enlightenment and empowerment and all the people and the powers that be should wake up to that reality. Those who have been enjoying the exploitation of Basarwa should be reminded that that chapter has been closed. Come the 2009 election all the constituencies that are predominantly Basarwa will be led by San members of parliament and San councillors. We are sorry if it sounds cruel, other tribes have done it and we are left with no choice but also to do it.