18 Oct 2018

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi has called baseless claims that he was at war with his predecessor Lt Gen Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama and that he was on a mission to reverse all the programmes implemented during the latter’s era.

Responding to a question from one Mr Gobonywewame Rapitsenyane who sought clarification on media reports that he was on a mission to reverse his predecessor’s programmes, Dr Masisi said it was all cheap talk.

President Masisi blamed the allegations on social media where everyone was at liberty to author posts which at times did not respect the subjects of the matter under discussion.

Dr Masisi told Mr Rapitsenyane to use the right platforms to air his concerns and further observed that the latter either wished for bad blood between the president and his predecessor or he had some information he was not disclosing.

The president then warned Mr Rapitsenyane, said to be a teacher at Lotsane Senior Secondary School to desist from bringing political questions to the kgotla and further said his superiors should reprimand him for his actions more especially that he should have been at work.

Dr Masisi explained to some elements in the crowd applauding and ululating Mr Rapitsenayane’s questions that his presidency was a continuation of where former President Khama left off, the same way the latter did when he took over from his predecessor Dr Festus Mogae.

The president made it point clear that his response, though meant to be short and to the point since he was not addressing a political gathering, he was actually silencing the applause that followed Mr Rapitsenyane’s questions.

“I have a lot on my hands and I don’t have time to dwell on trivia and petty issues,” said Dr Masisi to the applause of the senior citizens occupying a tent directly facing the president.

Even Dr Mogae, he explained,  was faced by challenges of that time such as HIV/AIDS which he had to respond to save lives of a population which up to then was perishing.

Before Dr Mogae, former president Sir Ketumile Masire too was faced with challenges of his time.

Dr Masisi clarified that each president faced challenges of their era and had to respond in a fashion befitting the challenges.

Whilst lauding former president Lt Gen Khama for his achievements, President Masisi elucidated that the former came at a time when the world was experiencing a recession.

He wondered why people did not deem it ‘paakanyo lehatshe’ (fixing the country) when his predecessor introduced his road map and various programmes on ascending to the presidency.

The president explained that all his programmes and interventions were agreed upon by cabinet and senior government officials following his ascendance to the high office.

Dr Masisi defended his actions and decisions saying he would keep on taking such decisions for the best interest of Batswana without fear or favour since he relied on advice from the experts in various fields.

In a related matter, Bangwato regent Kgosi Sediegeng Kgamane dispelled rumours that he had scheduled a kgotla meeting for today.

He said such rumours were meant to stir confusion explaining that he would be meeting with several dikgosi from his reserve as part of their consultative processes.

Kgosi Kgamane’s comments come in the wake of rumours  that he would be holding a kgotla meeting with his subjects to sabotage President Masisi. ENDS