BOTSWANA’s GOVERNMENT ACCUSED OF PLOTTING TO KILL BOTSWANA’s FORMER PRESIDENT, Seretse Khama Ian Khama
URGENT COMMUNICATION FILED WITH UNITED NATIONS EXPERT CONCERNING THREATS AGAINST IAN KHAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF BOTSWANA
London / Gaborone, 6 th January 2022 – Omnia Strategy LLP, the law firm of Cherie Blair CBE, QC, has submitted a new petition to the UN Special Rapporteur (UNSR) in relation to the ongoing threats to former President Seretse Khama Ian Khama’s life and safety, as well as the Botswanan government’s failure to adequately respond to grave concerns already raised by the UNSR.
Omnia’s urgent petition follows the wholly inadequate, hollow and belated reply from the Government of Botswana dated 25 October 2021, filed seven months after the Urgent Appeal sent by the then UNSR Dr. Agnès Callamard who had previously led the high profile investigation into the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
The independent UN Special Rapporteur has already expressed serious concern about risks to the life of President Khama, stating that she was “concerned with the dismissive responses of the authorities to the allegations, indicating a disconcerting disregard for the serious threats against Mr. Khama’s life”.
Cherie Blair CBE, QC, the Chair of Omnia Strategy and international human rights counsel to President Khama, said:
“Given the gravity of the issues at stake and raised by the UN Special Rapporteur, Botswana’s Reply signals a complete lack of respect for the rule of law and its international obligations, and a callous, politically motivated, disregard for the safety of President Khama. We call upon the UN Special Rapporteur to condemn this conduct in the strongest terms, and take urgent and robust action to guarantee President Khama’s safety.”
Content from the latest petition to the UNSR:
Rather than address the UNSR’s serious and articulated concerns, Botswana’s Reply demonstrates the Government’s unashamed determination to dismiss and ignore the urgent concerns raised by the United Nations.
Botswana’s duty to investigate the alleged violations of President Khama’s right to life has been triggered. Its continuing refusal to examine the allegations is a blatant violation of this duty and a tacit admission of the Government’s participation in or endorsement of those deadly plans.
Omnia’s call for action comes amidst worrying recent developments in President Khama’s case that reinforce the need for prompt and further action from the UNSR and the international community, notably:
• Botswana’s continuing failure to ensure President Khama’s safety;
• Raids conducted recently by the Directorate on Intelligence and Security (DIS) at premises belonging to President Khama, ostensibly justified by dubious “national security” arguments;
• Reports that the Head of the DIS has assured the President of Botswana that President Khama (and Former DIS Director Colonel Kgosi) would be “behind bars before the end of the year”, apparently irrespective of any evidence of wrongdoing;
• The repeated arrest and detention of Colonel Kgosi;
• The interrogation of Botswanan citizens connected to President Khama by the DIS including the Head of President Khama’s private security team;
• Broader, growing, concerns regarding the DIS’s lack of any accountability for civilian harm; and
• An emerging pattern of State-sponsored suppression of free speech and dissent within Botswana.
The Government’s failure to take appropriate measures not only breaches its international obligations but has effectively given a green light to future attempts against President Khama’s life, standing idly by (or, worse, calling the shots) as the DIS executes its harassment campaign.
Put simply, there is a profound risk that the DIS is a gamekeeper turned poacher, with the Government the trophy-hunter and President Khama the big beast now in the cross-hairs.
While President Khama is currently in South Africa, he cannot – and should not have to – remain abroad indefinitely purely to avoid threats to his safety at home in Botswana. As things stand, President Khama is due to return imminently to Botswana, where he will continue to participate lawfully in civic activities, as is his right, and will again be exposed to the violent campaign orchestrated against him.
The severity of the situation cannot be overstated, and urgent action from the UNSR is required to guarantee President Khama’s safety.
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