28 March 2008
Gaborone — With just three days before Ian Khama ascends to the Presidency, Mmegi Staffer, PATRICIA MAGANU goes to the Bangwato capital,Serowe, the village that on Monday would have made national history as the village that has produced three of the four presidents. She talks to residents as their kgosi would now become president.
Young people do not seem to be restrained as we brook a subject that the elderly would only couch in poltically correct terms.The elderly are guarded and do not want to be accused of 'mispeaking'. Perhaps in line with the highly stratified customs some are even terrified of speaking about nobility. It is obvious that they think about him as their chief and find it taboo to discuss anything.
"E ta tsoga e re golega", this became the common refrain when most elders were approached to talk about Khama's succession. Mmegi approached Bamangwato Paramount Chief Sediegeng Kgamane who also seemed uncomfortable to comment on the subject. Kgamane said that he found it hard to comment because the issue was quite political.
"This is a very political issue. As you know, some say he is the ideal president and others say it is not right," he said.As a relative of Khama, Kgamane said he was tongue tied to speak about his kgosi and his own.
"The issue could easily be turned into issue ya bogosi and I do not want to be
entangled in that," he added.
For 63-year-old Motshegwa Ramatebele Khama's era should be celebrated by any resident of Serowe. He said that as a native of Serowe Khama would bring more development to the area.
"He is president of the whole country but we cannot shy away from the fact that is a son of this soil and the son of our chief," he said adding that just because Khama will be president does not mean that he should neglect his roots.
"People seem to think that just because he is going to be president then he should forget his roots. He has family and obligations to his people here as much as he is going to have for this country," he added.
Ramatebele has no doubt that Khama would be a success as a president. Youthful Martha Dikgang does not quite share the exuberance and optimism of the older generation.
Dikgang says that even though she cannot wait for Khama to become president she cannot for certain say that he would be a success. She feels that Khama's reign might bring joy for others and sorrow for others.
"For soldiers it might be the best thing that has ever happened to them. Masole ba a go ja. I think that he will also stop a lot of things. I hear that he does not like liquor and we understand he would want to stop liquor consumption," she said. Dikgang says that she hopes that Khama's hatred for alcohol will not blind him to destroy what is a source of income for other people.
"I think he will stop a lot of things that other Batswana are dependent upon but I hope I am wrong. I just hope he will be reasonable," she added.
35-year-old Linda Kgakgamatso, a hotel employee says that she hopes that the country will not be subjected to a military government.
"These are my fears.I fear that he will not want to listen to anyone and he will make decisions on his own," she said. Kgakgamatso said that her other fear is the availability of Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ARVs). She wants to know whether Khama would continue the provision of ARVs or whether he will say HIV is a punishment on sinners and the immoral.
"Mogae brought us ARVs and we hope that it stays that way. We are all wondering if he will follow in Mogae's footsteps or he will change for the better or the worse," she wondered. Amongst her many wishes is that Khama should maintain the peace that prevails in the country.
"This is a peaceful country and we want it to stay that way. Will he accept it when his ten years is over and humbly step down like his predecessor," she wondered.
Delby Mafshiakgomo, a 23-year-old resident says that she for one thinks that Khama will fight poverty.
"He has already started. He started being president way back because he knows people," she said. Mafshiakgomo says that royal heritage might be the driving force in him being a good president.
"We all know that he is loyal to his father and he would want to maintain the Khama legacy and he would not disappoint him. To him, running this country might be a passion deeper than anyone can understand. I think we should stop judging him before he starts," she said.
Most people say that they are waiting eagerly for Khama to be president so they can see what he is bringing to the table but the one question that seemed to linger is who he would choose as his deputy.
Loago Masole, a 29-year-old construction worker says Khama needs an experienced person as his Vice-president.
"He needs an older vice-president who is patriotic to this country. It appeared in papers a while back that Mompati Merafhe stood a chance of being vice-president and I think that scares.
"If we have two former military men at the helm, it would appear as if this country is run by the military."
But on the whole, Masole feels that Khama would be a great change. "He is different, that is undeniably true. Why don't we just wait and see how he will handle office. Most of us have been waiting for some change in the way this government is run. Maybe this is it," he said.
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