Africa-Press – Botswana. Kgosi Kesetse Ramatlakadibe of Ramokgonami village has accused former president Mokgweetsi Masisi of insulting the community by misinterpreting a traditional jollity.
The former president recently expressed shock at being blamed for the Botswana Democratic Party’s (BDP) loss and linking it to his remarks at a political rally in Ramokgonami in which he referred to the villagers a “Bakgonami.”
While the equivalent in English may be tricky, “those with their bums up” could do.
“I did not insult anyone…”
Addressing the media, Masisi defended himself, saying he had done nothing wrong by merely greeting the villagers as their own Kgosi had done.
“I did not insult anyone, as some democrats allege,” he said. “I was simply extending pleasantries just as Kgosi Ramatlakadibe did before me.”
However, Kgosi Ramatlakadibe holds differently. Speaking in a subsequent interview, he expressed the view that Masisi had indeed insulted the community.
Inside jollities
Kgosi Ramatlakadibe stated that the former president had misrepresented their customary greeting and sparked unnecessary controversy.
“Maybe Masisi misunderstood our inside jokes and jollities because what he said was actually an insult to our community,” he said.
The rub, he noted, was in how, instead of simply greeting the villagers with “Dumelang Bakgonami,” Masisi went further and said, “Bakgonami, kgonamang hela lotlhe,” which could be interpreted as disrespectful.
Routinely
The equivalenting English may be, “Just get your bums up y’all”.
“How could you say this to a community as an elder? He insulted us. But since he was the head of state at the time, there was nothing I could do. But I have been following the issue on social media,” said Ramatlakadibe.
He explained that in Ramokgonami, the villagers routinely address one another simply as “Mokgonami” or “Bakgonami” and go no further. “For example,” said the Kgosi, “one may say, ‘Good morning Bakgonami,’ and that is where it ends.
“However, Masisi went further and said, ‘Dumelang Bakgonami. Kgosi a re le kgoname hela lotlhe.’ By adding his own words, he changed the meaning and insulted us.”
Overwhelmed
Even so, Kgosi Ramatlakadibe has graciously urged the community to forgive the former president, saying Masisi was probably overwhelmed by the large crowd at his rally.
“It is unfortunate, but let bygones be bygones,” he said.
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