“Your govt is stealing from you”-Kgafela
Kgosikgolo Kgafela Kgafela 11 of Bakgatla has vowed to sue the government of Botswana and the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) for illegal land grabbing.
Kgafela, publicly spurned President Masisi’s efforts to bring him back from self imposed exile into South Africa at a massive Bakgatla gathering in Moruleng over the Independence weekend.
Clearly repulsed by Masisi’s efforts to bring him ‘back home’, Kgafela said, “ I am not setting foot in Botswana as a matter of principle. As long as you have not changed your constitution I am not coming there.”
Living to his reputation as a straight talker who does not mince his words, Kgafela made it very clear that he held both BDP government and the constitution in total contempt.
“I am not in talks with anyone in Botswana. Those who want to talk to me must earn my time, by changing the constitution. Those who go about saying they are in talks with me are lying.
“I am here because I was chased out of the country. My only crime was asking for the review of the constitution. And I have not changed my mind. Your government is stealing from you; your leaders are stealing your money.
I told them to stop stealing from you. There is something called the Referendum act, Your President just needs to sign the referendum to kick out the constitution of Seretse (Seretse Khama),” he said.
Kgafela went into self imposed exile followig his de-recognition from chieftainship by government in 2011.
The paramount chief also used the Moruleng occasion to announce his looming court case against the government and the BDP.
“I am coming for the BDP through the courts of law,” he said before asking Bakgatla to append their signature to a resolution to institute a civil suit in demand of their tribal land.
The resolution reads in part, “Whereas Bakgatla ba ga Kgafela tribe are the owners of a certain territory of land, as designated in proclamation 9 of 1899 and described as Bakgatla tribal territory in the tribal territories act chapter 32:03 of 1933 (Botswana statues) By means of the Botswana constitution the Botswana Government and Botswana Democratic Party have expropriated Bakgatla tribal territory without agreement or compensation in 1966.”
“The tribe shall undertake such vindication legal action as necessary to recover full ownership of Bakgatla tribal territory or fair compensation in its place, from any party exercising unlawful authority over Bakgatla tribal territory,” further states the letter signed by Kgafela.
The summons from Kgafela to the BDP is expected to be delivered on December 31st 2019, The Voice can reveal.
