Recently the Minister of Local Government, Peter Siele, his predecessor, Lebonaamang Mokalake and the Attorney General, Athalia Molokomme were among a high-powered delegation that entered Mochudi to address the residents.

Similarly, they left the principal town of Bakgatla with nothing much to write home about. Siele's purpose had been to inform the tribe about the recent decision by government to de-recognise and suspend Kgosi Kgafela Kgafela from performing official duties as stipulated in the Bogosi Act.

However, the tribe was not prepared to listen to what Siele and his delegation had to say.

First up was Kgosi Bana Sekai Linchwe, who is under suspension at least until his others' trial for flogging has been concluded. He stated that they had tried on many occasions to meet with government officials, including President Ian Khama and Vice-President Mompati Merafhe. Kgosi Sekai specified the dates for which appointments were set for meetings, only for the VP to stand them up on grounds of health.

He said prior to the Vision 2016 celebrations in Mmathubudukwane, staff of the Vision Council and some government officials had tried to set meetings with them, but only a few of them materialised, while others were postponed.

All these appointments, Kgosi Sekai said, were communicated to him while he was on suspension and he wondered why government officials wanted to engage him on official duties. He said he often felt tempted to choose a bar for some of the appointments, or just any place other than the Kgotla because the government had suspended him from performing official duties.

Kgosi Sekai said in his interactions with the officials, he learned that there was confusion regarding how the decision to suspend him and others was reached or who made it. Merafhe had made it clear that no minister should interfere in matters of bogosi and that no Kgosi should meddle in government business. But Kgosi Sekai was shocked to find that Merafhe actually called some influential Bakgatla, among them Ray Molomo, Monty Letshwiti, Mpho Moruakgomo and Bishop Kole to inform them that government intended to take action within three weeks.

"A few weeks later, we heard on television, radio and through newspapers that our Kgosi had been de-recognised," said Kgosi Sekai. "All these things happened before me while I was under suspension." A few weeks ago, he was barred from welcoming ministers Edwin Batshu and Patrick Masimolole to the Kgotla in Odi. He made an effort to explain that he was suspended only from conducting trials.

"After kicking me out of the meeting twice, they said the meeting was going ahead whether anyone liked it or not," Kgosi Sekai said. "They said it was an instruction from the Permanent Secretary at Local Government, a certain Mr Matlhare."

Meanwhile, Kgosi Kgafela has said he is not interested in any petty talk from Siele, 'Thanda' (Mokalake) or anyone else in their company.

The Bakgatla sovereign said people in power must learn to engage in dialogue with those they are leading. He said he had known Mokalake, to whom he referred as Thanda, for many years. "I like Mokalake, but he doesn't know that," Kgosi Kgafela said. "We met for the first time when I was doing Form 1 at Moeding College where he was a Geography teacher. We also joined the school's Wildlife Club and I used to call him 'Thanda'.

"While I was surprised when I heard that he was joining politics, I had hopes that he would assist me to address the challenges I face in chieftainship. Unfortunately, when a person enters the Botswana Democratic Party, they turn into a devil.

Motho ga anywa lebele la ga Ra Domkraga, o tsenwa ke bo Saatane." Kgosi Kgafela then turned to the Molokomme, saying she too had lost direction since joining the BDP government and had abandoned her fight for human rights.