10 May 2017

Zutshwa community in the Hukuntsi Sub- district is at odds as to who is the rightful heir to the Zutshwa throne as the community expressed their dissatisfaction to be led by Kgosi Johannes Motlhaetsi.

Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Slumber Tsogwane learnt in a kgotla meeting in Zutshwa recently that there is a strong contention particularly from the Basarwa ethnic group  who are questioning the eligibility of

Kgosi Motlhaetsi to the Zutshwa throne since none of his  forefathers have led the community and they are not even the native residents of the area.

According to the community representative, Ms Tshoganetso Modise, the enthronement of Kgosi Motlhaetsi has always been questionable since the community was never consulted by the then district commissioner prior to Kgosi Motlhaetsi’s enthronement.

Ms Modise is of the view that, Kgosi Motlhaetsi was imposed on them by the sub district’s administrative head without following proper procedure of consulting the community.

She said ideally the community should have been given the opportunity to agree on their own leader or rather vote for the leader if they failed to reach a consensus.

Another community member, Mr Arbatain Kebatlhophang accused Kgosi Motlhaetsi of encouraging tribalism within the community as he said he always gave first preference to Bakgalagadi over Basarwa.  

“I am fully aware that we are all equal as Batswana however it is disturbing to highlight that the same cannot be said in Zutshwa since the current kgosi discriminates the community based on which tribe they belong to,” he noted.

Mr Kebatlhophane also decried lack of consultation between kgosi and the communities on matters pertaining to the village development citing the relocation of the tribal administration office to a new site as clear testimony to that.

He added that kgosi never consulted the community on the relocation of the tribal administration building.

Kgosi Motlhaetsi however dismissed all the allegations laid against him as false and fabrications aimed at tarnishing his name.  

He highlighted that he was the rightful candidate to the Zutshwa throne as he inherited the chieftainship from his late father who was also a leader of the Baselebe tribe in Zutshwa.

He said the Baselebe tribe through the leadership of the Motlhaetsi forefathers were the first to reside in Zutshwa in the early 1800 and it was fitting for him to have been enthroned in Zutshwa as he had inherited what wa rightfully his.

However in his response, Minister Tsogwane assured the community that he will appoint a commission of enquiry to assess how best to resolve the bogosi dispute in their village.

He pleaded with the community to handle bogosi issues delicately and settle their differences fairly, transparently and with an open mind.  

He said bogosi had played a pivotal role in shaping the country’s democracy therefore it should be treated with respect and honour.

Nonetheless, the minister said Botswana was besieged by endless chieftaincy claims. ENDS