01 Jul 2019

GaMmangwato tribal leaders have called on the nation to continue celebrating the life of the founding President Sir Seretse Khama.

Described as a visionary leader by speakers at the Serowe kgotla on July 1, Sir Seretse Khama has left a legacy for the nation to cherish forever.

Narrating Sir Seretse Khama’s life, Kgosi Daniel Orufheng said Batswana have enough reason to be grateful for Sir Seretse Khama’s guidance to the right direction. Even though, he was struggling due to ill health, a few years prior to his passing on, Kgosi Orufheng said, Sir Seretse Khama never gave up as he continued inspiring the nation to grow and be independent.

“He was greedy for life and was always fighting for prosperity of his people,” said Kgosi Orufheng.

Kgosi Orufheng said Sir Seretse Khama played an advisory role to other African leaders in the SADC region.

At one point, he advised President Robert Mugabe, who had assumed power after being elected president of Zimbabwe to work of fighting racial discrimination, Kgosi Orufheng said, adding that he advised President Mugabe to prioritise working on uniting black people who were torn apart by politics.

Sir Seretse Khama is reported to have advised President Mugabe to reconstruct and reconcile the fighting groups, make them love each other and work together.

Meanwhile Kgosi Serogola Seretse has advised the tribe to stay united and deter any misgiving with the likelihood of dividing them.

Kgosi Serogola said Sir Seretse Khama had sacrificed all that he had, including his crown as Bangwato Kgosi Kgolo, venturing into politics to save the nation. He said it was through God’s wisdom that Sir Seretse Khama persevered  despite tribulations and made the nation of Botswana what it is today.

Another Speaker, Kgosi Omphile Motsokono said even though, the day marked the demise of the country’s first President and Kgosi Kgolo of Bangwato, government advised that rather than mourning his passing on, the nation must focus on celebrating his visionary leadership. 

Kgosi Motsokono said as it was the case with any other household, the Sekgoma family also celebrated the birth of Sir Seretse Khama. He said the passing on of his father, Sekgoma Kgama was a blow to the Bangwato as the heir to the throne ,Sir Seretse Khama was only four years old.

Kgosi Motsokono said Sir Seretse Khama and other leaders in the Southern sphere of Africa came together to establish the Frontline States, a business relations body now known as SADC.

Even though its headquarters were established in Botswana, Sir Seretse Khama never denied other leaders to assume chairmanship of the body.

Kgosi Motsokono said through his government, Sir Seretse Khama established a development agenda catering for all Batswana. Even though, a mongwato, Sir Seretse Khama never took a decision that was fueled by tribal boundaries.   BOPA