At the centre of the tension is a controversial initiative by Kgosi Ian Khama, which many regard as an attempt to create a parallel governance structure that bypasses local democratic processes. Earlier this year, Kgosi Khama called a gathering of village leaders from areas traditionally referred to as the Gammangwato territory. Khama had made it public that he will be making independence celebrations in Serowe, and all traditional groups, football teams, amongst others that fall under the GammaNgwato territory will be competing. His instruction was clear: each village should form 10 local committees, each one aligned with a national ministry – such as Health and Wellness, Sports and Culture, Investment, and Entrepreneurship. These committees, composed of eight to 10 members each, were to report directly to him, effectively establishing a private network of village-level operatives under his command. On paper, the plan might have appeared well organised.
However, this did not go well with the area Member of Parliament, Motlhaleemang Moalosi, who said:” In reality, it raised serious concerns – particularly in constituencies such as Nkange, which lies outside of Khama's traditional jurisdiction. With 17 villages, Nkange would have seen over 1,300 individuals enlisted into this structure,” Moalosi had explained that on his Facebook page, which caused a lot of debate. For many, including Moalosi, this signaled not empowerment but an attempt to assert external tribal authority over communities with their own leadership and diverse identities. “It was nothing short of overreach,” said Moalosi. “I could not, in good conscience, support a system that seeks to concentrate control in the hands of a single traditional leader, especially one who holds no traditional jurisdiction over our constituency.”
