A controversial book titled ‘’Wrestling Botswana Back from Khama” by author Reverend Bishop Enole Ditsheko, which has sparked a lot of debates about its contents, was launched on Thursday night in Gaborone.
Unpacking the book, Ditsheko said it is not particularly focusing on former President Ian Khama as the title may suggest. Wrestling Botswana Back from Khama title, Ditsheko said, is inspired by the biblical context story on the book of Genesis 32: 22-33, adding that it recounts our history as Botswana, the country and Batswana, a people and therefore all is a reality that is reflected.
“The reality is that Botswana do exists, therefore Batswana are. How we know that we exist is from the stories crafted by those who came before us and told across generations. As we shifted and of course time, certain things changed, but others remained ingrained in our minds to define who we are,” Ditsheko buttressed.
He went on to say the book attempts to rediscovering Batswana reality away from some of the conventional theories that have stood the test of time. This he averred that it is as story retold from unpopular vantage point, so much it is arguably a journalist polemic that makes compelling case that Botswana and her democracy exist outside the powerful Khama family.
“It is not an opinion of a single person, if anything; it may be a collection of opinions, if you wanted to degrade the work. But Wrestling Botswana Back from Khama is not the ‘’ think’’ or ‘’feel ‘type of writing-it is anchored on qualitative research across a section of our population on how we, in the 21st century view the reality of Botswana and Batswana against this powerful family,” he added defending his book’s title.
Ditsheko hence said it is important to clear the misconception that the book speaks to former president Ian Khama alone adding that he is undoubtedly a majorcharacter, but so are others who have and continue to shape our reality as we see, know and believe it.
The book also recounts the diverse reality across segments of Botswana including three arms of government, the fourth estate, civil society, Bogosi institution as well as ordinary citizens too.
Ditsheko’s book has been the latest source of debate in the society as it has been criticized by some for especially by followers of former president Ian Khama labeling the book to be used to push propaganda for the current government administration while damaging Khama’s image.