Self-exiled former Botswana President Seretse Khama Ian Khama said he is in South Africa primarily because of persecution by his successor Mokgweetsi Masisi.
NewsDay quoted Khama as saying that Masisi is driven by greed, corruption, and self-interest and has overturned Botswana’s democracy which was painstakingly attained over several decades.
Khama made the remarks during a recent interview with Alpha Media Holdings chairman Trevor Ncube on the platform In Conversation with Trevor. He said:
I am here primarily because of persecution. We in Botswana have for a long time thought that we were immune from what we have seen in some parts of the continent, leaders who are driven by greed, corruption, self-interest, undermining democracy assuming that being in office or being in power is only about themselves and not thinking about the people they are supposed to lead.
We have been hit with this tsunami in Botswana by this man, Masisi, who when he came into office, completely overturned the decades of democracy and the reputation we had earned ourselves as a country.
I was very much conscious of the fact that Botswana was a democracy and when we live in a global village, as we do, you cannot just limit yourself to within your own borders if you are trying to make the world a better place.
Khama said Masisi is using State institutions to stifle the democratic space and persecute his opponents. He said:
The whole system, the law and order, use of the police, intelligence service, and the anti-corruption agency have all been compromised and charges fabricated against people like myself. Our families have been detained and that is the order of the day.
Khama, a former Commander of the Botswana Defence Force, left office in 2018 after two five-year terms.
He told Trevor Ncube that he regretted handpicking Masisi as his successor adding “I will do my utmost to ensure that I get them out of office at the next elections.”
Khama has joined the opposition Botswana Patriotic Front and intends to stand as the party’s presidential candidate.
The retired Lieutenant general has been living in exile in South Africa since 2021.
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