Africa-Press – Botswana. Since 2018, President Mokgweetsi Masisi has been keeping the lid on secrets canned of ‘Khama and himself’. He has on many occasions threatened that he would ‘phantsha’ (spill the beans).
However, during his last meeting in Serowe, Masisi said he would not reveal what caused their falling out as his differences with his predecessor can only be discussed in his presence.
Former president Ian Khama has rubbished claims by Minister for Local Government and Rural Development Kgotla Autlwetse that his feud with Masisi is due to some undelivered promises.
Autlwetse confirmed to this publication that he told a Kgotla meeting in Letlhakane recently that what led to the fall out between the duo is that Khama wanted to be Commander in Chief of all Armed Forces; wanted 15 guards, all armed with guns; for his brother Tshekedi Khama to be Vice President (VP), and that he wanted three staff members instead of the allocated two. The minister said Khama also wanted government to buy him groceries.
“The President had intended for this to only come out during a meeting of all parties. But Khama and his people in Serowe, after failing to agree to meetings, have been attacking the President without him responding. It is, therefore, time we tell Batswana the truth. Khama should have just accepted what was given to him as per the law. He should let Masisi make his choices,” he said.
Khama has since denied these claims. “The commander in chief is a title reserved only for a head of state. You cannot be a commander in chief without being a head of state and this is another blatant display of ignorance by Autlwetse mixed with the entrenched reliance on lying they think they can fool the nation with. Finally, I have been made aware that this campaign to regurgitate these lies is because I have been revealing the truth about their past and present criminal intentions which are backed up by fact,” Khama said.
Khama said the number of his guards was decided by government when he left office.
“I do not recall the number but it was more than 15. They later reduced them to 15 because they said that is the number Mogae had. By the time I left Botswana, they were even less than 15. I was asked before I left office what activities I would be engaged in so they could provide me with adequate security. That is why I had that initial number. But because they embarked on a campaign to try and undermine my security they used Mogae as an excuse to reduce the number.
“So Mogae being a former President before me and because of that, they decided they would benchmark what he had to justify what they give me. Why then did they only transfer my guards and not his? Also, why was my head of security deliberately kept in a more junior post to his? This was a sore point with my head of security who also complained they were not considered for promotion as others were. Coming back to the issue of the number of guards being dependent on what others have had, why does Masisi have much more security than any other President?” he said.
On appointing Tshekedi as VP, Khama said: “That is another lie the two have been peddling to try and justify the rift. Having been President I know as well as anyone that it is a President’s prerogative to recommend to Parliament who he wants as VP. If anyone should have been upset if ever there was such an undertaking it should have been Tshekedi, not me. The fact that he agreed to serve as a minister under Masisi is proof of this lie. Had such an agreement been made he would not have agreed to it.”
On staff members, Khama said there is a provision for two staff. He said he asked for an extra staff member and justified why he needed three staff and was given two.
On the issue of groceries, SKI Khama Foundation Chief Executive Officer Mogomotsi Kaboeamodimo said it is ridiculous to suggest that Khama would demand to be provided with groceries when he always distributes food hampers to all corners of Botswana from his own pocket and from contributions by those who support his charities.
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