Isaiah Morewagae
27 April 2009
Mochudi — Kgosi Kgafela has turned to the Mochudi Kgotla after he was turned down by Kgosi Khama on advice about his legal entitlement to attend Ntlo Ya Dikgosi even if he does not make decisions at the main decision making forum of the Bakgatla.
Kgosi Kgafela, briefing the Bakgatla at the Mochudi main Kgotla on Saturday about their representation at Ntlo ya Dikgosi, said the president turned their delegation down when they asked for his intervention on the issue.
Early this year, Kgosi Kgafela, also a lawyer, announced that he would not do day-to-day duties of the office. Rather, he would attend Ntlo Ya Dikgosi sessions, leaving his representative to attend Kgotla in Mochudi.
The government took a decision to bar him from attending Ntlo Ya Dikgosi. They (Bakgatla) are negotiating with the government on how to establish the status of Kgafela at Ntlo Ya Dikgosi.
With the multitudes of Bakgatla in attendance, Kgosi Kgafela said the president's intervention was their last resort as the Minister concerned had earlier turned them down.
Kgosi Kgafela's brother, Mmusi Kgafela, disagreed with the government position that the Bakgatla paramount chief is not doing the duties expected of an authority of his status.
Mmusi said the constitution of Botswana states that 'Kgosi' is a person who is working as a 'chief' when Ntlo Ya Dikgosi is in session.
He said under the amended Bogosi Act, duties of the Kgosi have been outlined, among which are to address Kgotla meeting and to do any duties that the minister directs.
The law requires the Kgosi to look after the tribe's needs and to oversee the running of cultural activities. He said the Kgosi has been performing all these duties except one, that of presiding over cases at the Kgotla.
Mmusi was concerned that the minister chose to handpick one of the duties that the Kgosi is required to perform, against him, to the disadvantage of the Bakgatla.
"The minister has chosen one duty. The question is, is the paramount chief not performing his duties as Kgosi-kgolo ya Bakgatla," Mmusi asked.
He believed that the minister should be called before the Bakgatla.
Mmusi added that the paramount chief has the right to delegate a representative if he finds it fit to do so. "The minister should come and address Bakgatla so that they can seek clarity and make the final decision," Mmusi said.
Commenting from the morale, Monty Letshwiti said presiding over cases at the Kgotla does not form an integral part of the Kgosi's duties.
Letshwiti said that Kgosi Kgafela is being denied his rightful place to represent his tribe at the Ntlo Ya Dikgosi. He said if Kgosi feels that he has to delegate, he should be allowed to do so.
"One cannot be judged for delegating one of his duties. They want to tell us that if you get five out of six you have failed," Letshwiti said.
He pointed out that Kgosi Kgafela is their paramount chief, by birth, so he is the rightful representative of Bakgatla at Ntlo Ya Dikgosi.
Another resident of Mochudi, Bogatsu Pheto, called on the minister to come forth and explain to Bakgatla why the government does not allow their rightful representative to sit in Ntlo ya Dikgosi.
He added that as the tribe, they agreed to the current arrangement.
Komane Molefhe reminded the minister that their Kgosi is not appointed. Molefhe said the Dikgosi, who are appointed are the ones who can be hired to sit at the Kgotla so that they can be paid for presiding over cases.
He said "the Kgosi of the Bakgatla is not one of them, so he can choose which duties to delegate and which ones not to".
Molefhe asserted that if they fail to reach a concrete agreement with the minister, the only option would be to approach the courts.
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Khama has assign Kgamane at ntlo ya dikgosi on his behalf as a Bangwato Chief he do not want other tribes to do likewise. The law of Botswana says if Someone is to join politics he/ she have to leave public office, KHama turn a deaf ear to this HE is the Prisident, Bangwato paramount Chief, He has control over the BDP where less is not the Chaiperson, Stil have control over BDF, he was even sworn in Kgafela as Bakgatla King, the even call KHama The Paramount chief of Bangwato what all with this Man. He does n't know what belongs to his Dad and to the State. This is Silent Dictator.