USir Ketumile Quett Masire Akasekho
Owaba ngumongameli wesibili weleBotswana ekhululekileyo, uSir Ketumile Quett Masire ubhubhe ngoLwesine ntambama, eGaborone eseleminyaka engamatshumi afica munwe munye lambili (92).
BOTSWANA — USir Quett Ketumile Joni Masire wazalwa mhla ka 23 Ntulikazi 1925 emzini weKanye ngaphandle kwesigodlo seBotswana, iGaborone. Wakhethwa ukuba ngumongameli weBotswana kusukela ngomnyaka ka 1980 kuyisiyafika ngo1998, esiba ngumongameli wesibili lelo lizwe lithole uzibuse embusweni wabahuquluzi benotho oweBhilithani. Ngaphambilini, wayengomunye walabo aba bumba ibandla elibusayo eleBotswana Democratic Party (BDP) ngo1961. Kwathi eleBotswana lithola uzibuse ngomnyaka ka1966, uMasire wakhethwa ukuba ngumsekeli kamongameli wakuqala uSir Seretse Khama. Kungaleyo ndlela ke uMasire kwahle kwaba lula ukuthatha isikhundla esasitshiywe nguKhama ngo1980, uyise kaMongameli Ian Khama osebusa okwamanje. Waba ngumphathintambo njalo wokugcina isikhwama semali, kwaze kwafika ukubhubha kuka Khama ngomnyaka ka1980, lapho uMasire athatha khona isikhundla sokuba ngumongameli. Abanye beZimbabwe bazamkhumbula uMasire ngobudlelwano bakhe lowayengumsekeli kamongameli, uMnunzana Joshua Mqabuko Nyongolo Nkomo, leviyo lebutho lebandla lakhe leZapu ele Zipra elalizinkamba kweleBotswana. Kwathi lalapho ele Zimbabwe selithole uzibuse uNkomo wayevame ukubalekela eBotswana lapho esehluphaka lomongameli Robert Mugabe ikakhulu ngesikhathi sombhuqazwe weGukurahundi ngo1983. ” Ngemva kokulobelana isivumelwano sokukhumisana umlotha phakathi kweZAPU kanye leZANU ese Unity Accord ngomnyaka ka1987, uMasire waqala ukuqinisa ubudlweno lohulumende ka mongameli Robert Mugabe. UMugabe wake wavakatshela imuli kaMasire ngomnyaka ka2013 ezoba duduza ngemva kokulahlekelwa ngunkosikazi Gladys Masire. OweZimbabwe ohlala eGaborone, umnunzana Andreas Ndlovu uthi ngenxa yobudlwelwano obukade sebukhona, umongameli Mugabe kangeke akhuthe umgcwabo kaMasire… “ kusho uNdlovu. Umongameli Ian Khama Seretse Khama usebike ukuthi eleBotswana lizaqala amalanga amathathu esililo kusukela ngoLwesihlanu ziku 23 Nhlangula kusiyafika ngeSonto. UMasire, obhubhe ngoLwesine mhla ziku 22 Nhlangula eleminyaka engamatshumi athoba minwe mibili lambili-92, ukhangelwe ukubekwa ngeviki elizayo emzini wakhe eKanye, lapho okulele unkosikazi wakhe khona. Sithi umoya wakhe kawulale ngoxolo.