03 Jul 2017

Former Mozambican president, Mr Joacqium Chissano was in Kanye on July 2 to deliver a message of condolence to the family of Sir Ketumile Masire.

Mr Chissano, who ruled Mozambique from 1986 following the death of his predecessor, Mr Samora Machel described the late Sir Ketumile as his personal friend who nurtured his love for agriculture.

It was during Sir Ketumile’s reign that Botswana deployed her second biggest United Nations peace keeping mission in Mozambique.

Mr Chissano said he found it prudent to go to Kanye because he could not participate in the ceremonies of his late friend, Sir Ketumile and bid him farewell because he was busy with programmes that he could not change.

He said Sir Ketumile was his friend and that they were together in some activities as former heads of states.

He noted that Sir Ketumile was a member of the Africa Forum, which was chaired by him.

He added that Sir Ketumile had a lot to do as he thought about the future of Africa, and to help in difficult situations in the region.

“We worked together in relation to conflicts, but also we knew each other. He was vice president under Sir Seretse Khama and I worked with him when he became president of Botswana and after I left office,” he said.

Mr Chissano also said after Sir Ketumile left office he continued to work with him, and that Sir Ketumile personally visited him many times in Mozambique, exchanging notes on issues of their personal lives, including farming.

“Quett Masire was very passionate in farming, and I thought I will learn from him, actually he had more practice than me and knowledge because he had gone under training in that field. But I admired him because when he came to see me he was asking me to teach him certain things so that he also improved on his side,” he said.

Mr Chissano added that Sir Ketumile was a student all the time, and that it showed his quality and humility as well as understanding that he could learn from ordinary people.

Talking about the Mozambique liberation struggle, Mr Chissano said during President Sir Seretse Khama’s reign from 1963 Botswana was in a delicate situation, and that they could not demand Botswana to do anything.

He said Batswana helped liberation movements when they gave shelter to freedom fighters who were leaving Mozambique through Swaziland, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Batswana, he said, also helped president Machel during his transit through the country with other freedom fighters from South Africa.

He said Batswana could not do much more than that because of their proximity and dependency on South Africa.

“Botswana was in the same situation with Swaziland, they could not do much and we could not demand too much from them,” he said.

He, however, said the frontline states amongst them Zambia and Tanzania together with the Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO) had contacts and helped Botswana to be more forthcoming in terms of diplomatic support in the international forum.

“Conditions were then arranged for alternative routes for exports and imports of goods by Botswana, you remember the Kazungula ferry which facilitated more movement,” he said.

Mr Chisano said in 1973 he came to Botswana and that was when he came to know Sir Ketumile.

He said he stayed in former foreign affairs minister’s house, Mr Archibald Mogwe and that his movements were limited because of Botswana’s proximity to South Africa.

Mr Chissano laid a wreath on the graves of Sir Ketumile and Lady Olebile and also signed the condolences book at Sir Seretse Khama International Airport before departing to Mozambique on July 2. ENDS