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He then faced the mistrust of some powers of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), including the oldest secretary general (SG), Daniel DK Kwelagobe, Gomolemo Motswaledi, Botsalo Ntuane and Kabo Morwaeng, among others.
He said that he had never dreamed of getting into politics, let alone being the president. It was at that moment that he pronounced the words, for the first time, to then repeat them on different platforms; "I hate politics. Politics is a dirty game … "
The interview, published in a tabloid, The Voice, has attracted much attention from politicians, activists and academics. The reaction of the Barata-Phathi faction within the BDP (Khama was with the faction led by Jacob Nkate / Mompati Merafhe of the A-Team) was extreme. Ntuane had a long call with my boss, the late Beata Kasale, who, bless her, refused to capture me for alleged transgressions against Barata-Phathi. Sidney Pilane, who already had a dissenting party constitution, the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD), stormed The Voice's offices, demanding that I be reprimanded for "imposing the right to". Khama's agenda.
Pilane, Ntuane and company felt giving the president the platform to talk about issues that darken the ruling party. Interestingly, in just three paragraphs of a four-page interview, we were attacking their faction. Under normal circumstances, Kasale explained to them, a right of reply would have been given to them (even if they were not mentioned by name). But it was a tête-à-tête with the first citizen. Interview about him, his work and his position.
A little over a year after the birth of the BMD, Pilane's constitution became the founding document of the new party. Khama's nemesis, Minus DK, was formed and badumed leadership positions in the new party. A few years later, after losing the presidency to Motswaledi at the Kgale Hill congress, Pilane left the party. The speculation was that it was for a promise of a seat in the High Court. The former lawyer and former special advisor to Khama's predecessor, President Festus Mogae, has never been appointed to the High Court.
Changing alliances
Ntuane, then Vice President and Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, retraced his steps to the BDP and by 2012 was now declaring his eternal love to Khama.
The "returnees", including BMD financier Samson Moyo Guma and Morwaeng, were now singing a different song: Khama the Great, not necessarily the great grandfather of former president Khama III.
The last 10 years have seen the party, in which Khama was brought back to the head of the army by Mogae on the advice that he would stabilize, went through
turbulence. In addition to having experienced the very first breakaway, the BMD in 2010, the BDP, which gave up independence in 1966, still has to find peace. As politics is by nature, alliances have changed. Those who were once Khama's men, such as SG Mpho Balopi, whom the former president had named for the first time after firing and suspended Motswaledi for five years in 2009, and the current MP, Shaw Kgathi, are now firmly in favor of the new leader, President Mokgweetsi Masisi.
Infact both are considered to be the trigger fingers for the new leader, against the old. That's the politics. Those who know him well, opportunist, act accordingly. They know where to stand and when. If it is to protect personal political interests, then the statement that Balopi once made, namely that "it's our time to eat" makes sense.
The "eating" activity is however very risky. And when we play what the late statesman, Sir Ketumile Masire has warned; "Polotiki ga koi …", they may end up on slippery ground when the terrain changes. Although a few can easily turn around and play behind the new power, the majority will fall with their fallen leader. This is what is happening today in the power struggle within the BDP, and few are surviving in the changing allegiances.
Not only in the BDP. Last year, the opposition camp also experienced shifts in positions within parties and a direction where many of us, small mortals, are confused.
We saw the key founding member of Umclella for Democratic Change (UDC) not part, the return of Pilane forcing President Ndaba Gaolathe to form a new party, Alliance for Progressives.
Just as Pilane and his company thought they had the ear of the leader of the UDC, who is also chairman of the main opposition member, the Botswana National Front, Duma Boko, they found themselves in the cold and were coming out of the coalition now.
In is the party that was in the cold in 2014, the Botswana Congress Party. In opposition uprisings, the Botswana People's Party is one of the oldest but smallest opposition entities in the north of the country.
In the battle of the hearts and minds of voters as the country moves towards the 2019 general election, political games have become a sham for the majority of us who are not politically educated. What is clear is that it is not a game for the shy. Indeed, politics is dirty!
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