Botswana’s former president, Ian Khama accused his successor Mokgweetsi Masisi of taking the country backward in an interview with SABC on March 11.
Khama resigned as state president on 31 March 2018 after serving two five-year terms and Masisi his vice president of four years took over becoming Botswana’s fifth president.
Relations between the two have deteriorated with Khama accusing Masisi of denying him the privileges due to a former president citing instances the government failed to provide him with the state aircraft for his community outreach programmes.
He also publicly announced his support for ex-foreign minister Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi to contest Masisi for the presidency at the upcoming ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) congress.
On his part, Masisi fired the Minister of Foreign Affair Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi last year after she tweeted that she is running for president in 2019 a move Khama labeled as “immature and intolerant”.
The former president denied allegations that the feud with Masisi emanated from his brother current Minister of Environment Tshekedi Stanford Khama not being appointed as vice president of the ruling BDP by his successor.
Watch the Ian Khama interview below
Here are a few excerpt from Ian Khama’s interview
Why Khama appointed Masisi as vice president
“He (as vice president) had a nature, a character which I just felt very close to and part of. What I’m seeing now is a totally different person than the one I knew. I think he has it in him, even if it was an act, please could he bring back that act again so that the country can move forward and enjoy the reputation it has always had,”
Khama on attempts by the Masisi government to isolate him
“I’ve had to put up with deliberate attempts to isolate me by the government for national events.
On this trip to go to India, the government said they weren’t going to facilitate the trip in any way yet they are supposed to give me funding, that’s a provision for one of my benefits so that’s something that I’m taking up legally, unfortunately, I’ve to do that.
They have instructed our embassies to the countries I would be passing through not to provide me any protocol assistance, I’m very grateful that here in South Africa they have provided that assistance.
The security team who are charged with my protection were instructed not to accompany me on this trip as well, that’s what we are having to put up with.”
Khama on Masisi’s move to roll back his legacy fight against ivory trade
“When I was in office, I used to fashion and consider myself a humanist and a conservationist and I care very much about the welfare of people, the environment and all forms of wildlife and I said I want to continue in that role even afterwards
It’s just a bit strange that someone who worked with you, who supported you and agreed with you on the things that you were doing would do this about face.
He’s the president now, he can introduce whatever policies he likes, but one feels a bit hurt and put out that what we spent many years building and the successes we have had… and as a democracy, to see that starting to go into reverse, that is something one just can’t sit by and let it happen.”
