Balete Paramount Chief Snubs Khama - Again?

Kgosi Mosadi snubbed Khama's visit to her capital for the second time hardly a week after the Minister of Local Government warned dikgosi against embarrassing the President.The warning came in the form of a circular a week before President Khama undertook a constituency tour of the South East South, but Kgosi Mosadi was unmoved.As President Khama, his Cabinet ministers and entourage arrived at the Ramotswa Kgotla, there was no paramount chief to welcome them. That duty was left to her deputy, Tsimane Mokgosi.  Kgosi Mosadi had gone on leave, leaving many feeling both puzzled and seething.

Kgosi Tsimane announced that Kgosi Mosadi was on leave and a furious Balete could be heard demanding answers. Many made it clear that even while on leave, she should have made herself available at least for an hour to welcome the head of state at her Kgotla.The murmurs of disapproval from Balete took a while to subside as they made it plain that they saw her absence as an intolerable, blatant sign of defiance.