26 Jun 2017

As the nation mourns its fallen hero and longest serving president, Sir Ketumile Masire, it is befitting to also remember the remarkable contributions he made for this country through his multiple roles both in and out of office.

In reverence of his memory, former BDP chairperson and stalwart, who has also served in Sir Ketumile’s cabinet, Mr Daniel Kwelagobe took BOPA down memory lane, reflecting on the former president’s life in the party, governance and social circles.

DK said he met Rre Ra-Gaone as he was affectionately known in 1962 in Molepolole during the early days of the formation of what was to be known as the Botswana Democratic Party.

He said during those days, Sir Ketumile, who then was the BDP secretary general, would regularly visit the late former minister, Mr Englishman Kgabo, who held the position of branch organiser in Molepolole to organise the party structures.

It was after his regular visits to Molepolole that the young Kwelagobe then interacted with Sir Ketumile through the party’s publication that he produced.

His first impressions of Sir Ketumile were astonishing. “His influence was big, and he was very magnetic, especially to a young person that I was. He also displayed an aura of shrewdness, but very approachable at the same time,” Mr Kwelagobe added.

By then a radio announcer, Mr Kwelagobe’s journey with Ra-Gaone took shape during the elections of 1969. “He approached me to join politics at the request of the late former president, Sir Seretse Khama, who probably had seen my potential.”

Although he tried to resist, Mr Kwelagobe then agreed, saying that was how they became acquainted to one another in those days.

Detailing his political life, Mr Kwelagobe explained that Sir Ketumile was very active as he would travel the whole country publicising his party as the secretary general.

In those formative years around 1963, he narrated one particular instance in Molepolole when they were in a committee meeting with Mr Kgabo around midnight.

 “We were taken by surprise as he chanted the party slogan, ‘domi, domi! which was then followed by his irresistible laughter. While we were still in awe, he proceeded to inform us about his countrywide trips that were dedicated to checking how the new party was progressing.”

This, Mr Kwelagobe said, demonstrated the level of commitment he had on the party that saw him traversing the country even at night, just to check on how the party structures were doing. Mr Kwelagobe grew through the party ranks to later become assistant secretary general. In 1980 after the death of Sir Seretse Khama, Mr Kwelagobe then succeeded Sir Ketumile to become secretary general while he (Masire) ascended to the presidency.

In the party, Mr Kwelagobe said Sir Ketumile was dedicated, determined and patient, the attributes that made their working relationship good.

Mr Kwelagobe explained that Sir Ketumile’s astute leadership was tested in the party during challenging times, but his steadfast leadership was able to prevent the party from splitting at a time when it was marred with dissidence.

Mr Kwelagobe remembered a particular meeting in Francistown during the party’s early days when they were discussions of a very ‘sensitive issue’, where people’s emotions ran high.

He said they spent the whole night with Sir Ketumile in the town hall deliberating on the issue, but he managed to resolve the issue amicably and peace prevailed at last, ‘mme e le gore sekepe sa rona se ne se kgaphasela mo se neng se ka nwela. E ne e re go shakgetswe a bo a ingata ka setshego’.

Again, Mr Kwelagobe cited another instance at a party meeting at Boipuso Hall, where Sir Ketumile was called in during the night to intervene when party members were fighting for positions.

“They parted with him the next day in the morning, having agreed peacefully on how they were going to divide leadership positions fairly among themselves. He knew the art of compromise,” he said.

Lastly on the many issues that Sir Ketumile demonstrated astounding leadership was at Kanye during a party congress that shook the party’s foundations to the core dubbed Kgola disana. “Where the congress was held was about 300 to 500 metres to Masire’s place, but he spent the whole night with party members during the elective congress until the following day.”

In governance, Masire also displayed outstanding qualities of leadership as he so much believed in freedom of expression.

To demonstrate this quality, Mr Kwelagobe recalled a moment when cabinet ministers during Sir Seretse Khama’s time complained that their party MPs had the habit of speaking against government of the day.

 Although he (Kwelagobe) was not a Member of Parliament, Sir Ketumile told him that he did not agree with the ministers, who then wanted the MPs not to air their views on governance matters.

Sir Ketumile went ahead to make his beliefs known to the ministers, telling them that if they did not want the MPs to voice out their concerns, they would join the opposition MPs in order to voice out their opinions. This, Kwelagobe said, demonstrated how important the person of Masire was to this country and governance in general.

At a social level, he said Ra-Gaone interacted easily with everyone. He could come down to ordinary people’s level. When addressing kgotla meetings he displayed a very good sense of humour. Mr Kwelagobe remembered a time during Ra-Gaone’s kgotla meetings in Molepolole, which involved one particular resident of Molepolole, a regular at his kgotla meetings, also known for raising his concerns regarding developments.

The man was partially blind, with only one eye. The man would ask, “Ke eng ditlhabololo di ganelela ntlha e le nngwefela? Sir Ketumile’s reply, “ga se gore o di lebela ntlha e le nngwe? Another resident asked, “ke eng le dira ditselala tse di tshesane, kana o ntsha leoto fela o le tlhoma ka kwa o bo o tlodile tsela.”

His reply, “monna, ke ne ke sa itse gore re na le batho ba ba ka yang di Olympic ba ba ka tlolang long jump.” Mr Kwelagobe said these attributes show how sociable Sir Ketumile was and how he could easily use his humour to redirect emotions to diffuse tension in any platform.

“He was a cut above the rest, the way he could manage people with ease shows that he was truly gifted. 

The country has lost a father, a leader and a visionary,” he said. ENDS