Arson attack on minister's property politically motivated
…Botswana govt claims amid MasisiKhama fallout
GABORONE - The government of Botswana has described the burning of a vehicle and house belonging to the country's minister of local government and rural development as being politically motivated.
The minister, Kgotla Autlwetse, woke up in Serowe on Friday at around 03:00 to find his Toyota Hilux GD-6 on fire. His house was also engulfed in flames.
Serowe police station commander Poloko Oteng told local radio station Duma FM on Friday that it "was a deliberate action by some unknown individuals as some of their footsteps around the scene are visible."
Botswana government spokesperson John Dipowe said it was an "alleged" arson attack. He said the government strongly believed that it was politically motivated.
Serowe is the largest urban village in Botswana and is situated in the country's central district. It falls under the Bamangwato people, whose local leadership is the Khama family.
The area is also the political base of former President Ian Khama. Last week, reports in Botswana stated that President Mokgweetsi Masisi had dispatched Autlwetse, who hails from the area, to talk to Bangwato royals over his fallout with his predecessor, Khama.
"Some of them (royals) want to politicise this issue, and they want to seek political mileage. They are far from reconciliation because it is like they are pushing for Khama to stay in exile. They are enjoying this... They are in denial. In their mind, they still think Khama is the president," Autlwetse told the media about the mediation effort.
Since leaving office four years ago, Khama and his successor, Masisi, have been at loggerheads. In November last year, Khama fled Botswana for South Africa and accused Masisi of using state machinery to go after him regarding allegations of corruption involving at least R160 billion.
Khama, who is believed to be in South Africa, attended the burial of former Zambian President Rupiah Banda in Lusaka last month. In his address, he said he was being persecuted in Botswana by politicians who he said “are not nice.”
In a statement a few days later, he said his twin brothers, Tshekedi and Anthony, had been detained by state security as part of a grand plan to frustrate him and his family. – NEWS24.