The passing of former BCP MP James Pilane
Friday, September 09, 2016
His untimely passing has robbed the party and the country of a principled, learned and committed patriot who contributed immensely to the development of his community and the country.
Cde Pilane, 77-years of age, was former Member of Parliament (1994-1999) and also once served as the BCP Constituency Chairperson for Kgatleng West. He had been in opposition politics for decades, advocating for greater democracy and socio-economic uplifting of Batswana. He was among the 13 opposition MPs of the seventh Parliament (1994 General Elections) and the 11 MPs who founded the BCP in 1998. He is survived by his loving wife and children.
While it is widely acknowledged that Khama holds the title of Kgosi, the government’s failure to properly gazette his recognition has raised serious concerns about adherence to legal procedures and the credibility of traditional leadership. (See a story elsewhere in this newspaper.) Recent court documents by the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Kgotla Autlwetse, shed light on the intricacies of Khama’s recognition process....