OARABILE MOSIKARE
editors@thepatriot.co.bw
The national Chairman of opposition Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF), Oboetswe Gabotlale has expressed disgust on the ‘persecution’ of party patron Ian Khama by the current Botsana Democratic Party (BDP) administration.
Gabotlale said since he occupied the office of the President Mokgweetsi Masisi has been an unstable, tin pot dictator who has turned himself into a full-fledged despot. “Botswana as a Republic, has been a shining model of democracy and constitutionalism. Critical to mention is that, our country has several former Heads of State, who have never been objects of political persecution under the veneer of the rule of law by their successors. The current situation is heart breaking for the entire nation,”said Gabotlale in a press statement.
He added that production of unauthenticated and fake search warrants and the procurement of more of them to search and humiliate Khama, would not be tolerated by the citizens who desire peace and tranquility in their nation. “My office strongly believes that Masisi’s government has been salivating to humiliate the African icon in the person of former President Ian khama. If there was anything former President Ian khama did, it becomes curious that Masisi waited for this long to pounce on him. His agenda is clearly known by everyone in Botswana and Africa as a whole that he has failed to extricate Botswana from the socio-economic and political challenges it is currently facing”.
Gabotlale said there is no leader in the history of Botswana who is the epitome of failure like Masisi, adding that Masisi has turned Botswana into a laughing stock. “His love for power has seen him join the league of other discredited African despots who despise and hate descending voices against their maladministration. As BPF we will never tire to fight for what is good for our nation. Let it be known that we will not fold our arms while our Patron is persecuted. We will defend him with our blood and make sure that he is accorded the respect he deserves,”he said.
On Wednesday Khama claimed in a message that the Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS) raided his Shakawe residence without a warrant searching for illegal firearms and arms of war and found nothing. “They have stopped my house staff and gardeners from entering the property so they can go in there undetected to plant bugs and chemicals in the house. They are also planning to arrest all other private security staff as they did when they detained their own who they think are loyal and confiscated their phones whilst threatening them to implicate me,” said Khama who is in South Africa.
DIS spokesperson Edward Robert did not respond to calls for interview on the matter. Last week High Court Judge Ranier Busang dismissed with costs an application in which the DIS was seeking an order of search and seizure at Khama’s residence in Gaborone -State House 4. Justice Busang said the DIS had not made a case for granting of the order it was seeking in the notice of motion.
By the end of the week Khama had promised to give a series of interviews to local and international media about what went wrong between him and Masisi.
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