Khama’s return plans advanced

Former President, Ian Khama has revealed that he does not intend to stay away from Botswana any much longer, and therefore plans for his return are at advanced stage and will be announced soon. Responding to questions from The Patriot on Sunday recently, Khama who has been living on a self- imposed exile in South Africa and Swaziland for over three (3) years following a hostile fallout with the current regime, said he is determined to return to Botswana before the 2024 general elections, whether President Mokgweetsi Masisi’s regime likes it or not. Though he has been declared a fugitive from justice and could face arrest when he lands in Botswana, Khama nevertheless stated that, the fugitive status does not bother him because when he left for South Africa the first time, it as a result of attempts to kill him. He said he is not a fugitive. from justice, but a fugitive from injustice.

“Having false charges and fabricated arrest warrants does not bother me, the reason I am here in South Africa is because of the Masisi regime’s attempts to eliminate me. I left the country before there were any fabricated charges and politically motivated arrest warrants against me,” he said. Khama further said if he had not escaped to South Africa, he would not be alive today and he is grateful for the years he has had, and have been very lucky and fortunate to have lived this long, despite the regime’s attempts to terminate any more years of his life. Even though he expressed concern for his safety when he returns, Khama said the Masisi regime may do what they want to do to him as he does not care anymore. “At least everyone by now knows what evil things they are capable of and the fabrications and illegal actions that have been their modus operandi,” he said, adding that he is also looking forward to continuing to serve the country, its people, especially the disadvantaged for more years to come despite the predictable attempts by the regime to desperately intervene to prevent that. Furthermore, Khama who has been

President Mokgweetsi Masisi biggest critic since their falling out and his nemesis said he is also aware that his return terrifies Masisi. He said this is obvious because if the regime is not bringing up new fabricated cases, they are on standby to try and scare him off from returning and constantly refusing to be involved in attempts to find a solution which would see him back in the country. He labelled Masisi as a coward who is desperately insecure and scared of him that as a result, he is resorting to do anything to get to him and prevent his return home. “That’s when he can have his dream by what he thinks will be humiliating for me by parading me in public in handcuffs and leg irons before the courts with another predictable verdict,” he said. Moreover, Khama said the term fugitive is a title that is more applicable and appropriate to President Masisi as he constantly runs away from the country and his responsibilities to other countries abroad on insignificant and requested invitations with medical interventions imbedded in the mix. Moreover, Khama condemned the constitutional amendment exercise which is currently undertaken under the current President Masisi Government.

“It is ridiculous to try to amend the constitution to target one single individual,” said Khama referring to a provision that a retired President who has served an aggregate of ten (10) years must not return to active politics and that a person who held the office of the President for an aggregate of 10 years should be disqualified from being President, Vice President, Cabinet Minister or Member of Parliament. He said the current constitutional amendment exercise is going to make the North Korea dictator and others like him proud to welcome President Masisi into their ranks. Regarding the case of illegal possession of firearms that awaits him, Khama declared that, he couldn’t care less about the charges and arrest warrants against him as he maintains they false and politically motivated. He said just as with Butterfly case which he was implicated in and was later dismissed, he also everyone knows the current charges are also a lie. Khama said there are other Batswana who own multiple firearms, however the current regime has chosen to only single out him and Colonel Isaac Kgosi to be falsely charged for having firearms. He said their weapons have never been used in any criminality, and having occupied positions of responsibility, they know the legal requirements of having weapons which are licensed. “Recently in a police press statement, the Ramotswa police spoke of an armed robbery of a man and woman at a farm who had seven firearms stolen including two shot guns and three rifles,” he said. Further, Khama said he have no problem appearing in court provided it is not before a magistrate or judge who have allowed President Masisi and DIS boss Magosi to stand over them.

He said the current justice system is in two parts, as there are those who have and still do consistently maintain the high ethics and code of being a judicial officer and those who have succumbed to weakness and allowed themselves to be slaves of President Masisi and the DIS and do their bidding against their oath and against President Masisi opponents. “I have direct proof of such, DIS have allocated some in the judiciary DIS security on the pretext that they could come to harm at my hands in order to buy their allegiance to the state as well as to one or two others in the judiciary whose private business have benefited from having had DIS officers sent there as clients in the past so as to manipulate their decisions in favour of President Masisi and his cronies,” he said. In the meantime, representatives of BaGammagwato from different parts of the country recently camped for three days at the Former President Khama residence to discuss among other issues his impending return.

When speaking during an interview Royal Uncles and Balwela Kgosi spokesperson Segaetsho Garekwe reiterated that the arrival of Former President Khama who is also the Chief of Bagammangwato will not be a secret as it will be announced to the whole country including the Government. Garekwe said, Khama made up his mind to come home despite fear for his life as he doesn’t intend to spend whatever years he has left in a foreign land. Further, he said BaGammagwato just like other tribes deserve and have the right to have their Chief amongst them. “Regardless of what will happen when he set foot in Botswana, he has made up his mind and we agreed, whatever happen to him will happen, however we wish for him to come in peace without being harassed,” he said.