04 Mar 2018

Mogoditshane residents have recently descended at the main kgotla in large numbers to bid president Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama farewell.

Residents thanked the president for abiding by the constitution when stepping down from office after his two terms, something that of late has proved to be a challenge in other countries.

Recently media reports have been awash with stories that some presidents either refused to step down from office where as some continue to cling to power against the will of the people or the Constitution.

Not only that, residents have applauded president Khama for his sterling leadership style and making sure that peace reigned in the country.

President Khama in return thanked the multitudes that attended to bid him farewell saying ‘the numbers are touching’.

He also thanked them for their gifts, adding that the Toyota Dyna they bought for him would be very useful.

He further said Mogoditshane was close to his heart and considered himself a resident since he has lived in Mogoditshane for 20 years while serving in the Botswana Defence Force.  

He allayed assumptions that suggested that he would not step down, stating that when he worked at BDF, his duty was to defend the Constitution of the country, therefore, asking how he could go against that which he had worked for almost his entire life.

He however promised the residents that he would continue to assist them in every possible way through his charities.

Kgosi Alfred Dihutso of Mogoditshane reiterated the President’s outstanding cooperation with other leaders.

He said he had demonstrated qualities of a true leader and wished he could continue working with President Khama forever.

For his part, Member of Parliament for Mogoditshane, Mr Sedirwa Kgoroba likewise praised the President for maintaining peace and stability in the country even though there had been differences of opinion.

He said the President had not allowed such differences to ruin the harmony the country had enjoyed for decades.

Mr Kgoroba however noted that there were a lot of pertinent issues that still needed to be addressed as a matter of priority in the village.

He said land allocation still gave residents sleepless nights as offspring who were now adults still stayed with their parents.

The MP said since the village was heavily populated, it was time that Mogoditshane was upgraded into a town with its own council.

Mr Kgoroba similarly complained of high unemployment levels among the youth, calling on government to react promptly.

He further said since the village had grown in terms of population, schools too were over enrolled, hence the need for government to build more schools and increase classrooms.

Mr Kgoroba furthermore said that government should review programmes targeting youth, saying that most of them were agriculture based, rendering them not suitable for most youths in the area because there was no agricultural land in Mogoditshane with the only thriving business in the village being property.

Representative for vulnerable groups, Mr Mpho Matsietsa thanked President Khama for constituency tournaments, but highlighted that the games did not include disabled youth.  

Likewise, many programmes targeting youth also excluded people with disabilities, he said.

Residents gave president Khama five cattle, five goats, two sheep and 11 chickens.

They also bought him a Toyota Dyna for his charitable work, two blankets, 10 bottles of Morula jam, a chair and plates.

They also gave him money amounting to P24 595.  ENDS