That has prompted some aggressive campaigning by President Mokgweetsi Masisi and his rivals especially his predecessor General Ian Khama who is now backing an opposition party...
The government's diamond marketing deal with the Belgium-based start-up HB Antwerp and opaque diamond trading with the United Arab Emirates have been widely criticised by opposition politicians including Ian Khama and some businesses (AC Vol 64 No 20 Antwerp gems deal on the rocks)...
He took over the presidency in 2018 in an amicable arrangement with the outgoing President Ian Khama...
The Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) is led by Mephato Reatile a close ally of former President Ian Khama...
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The return of former President Ian Khama after three years of self-imposed exile to face charges including money laundering and owning illegal firearms appears to be as much about electioneering as having his day in court...
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Last month Boko who is also the President of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) which also includes former President Ian Khama warned that his party was training more election agents to ‘protect the vote' (AC Vol 64 No 16 Masisi needs diamonds for trumps)...
Other critics included trade unions and ex-President Ian Khama...
The ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) has never been the same since President Mokgweetsi Masisi fell out with his mentor ex-President Ian Khama who had hand-picked him as his successor with no notion they would soon become deadly foes (AC Vol 59 No 6 A well-scripted succession)...
The by-election was triggered by Ian Khama's brother Tshekedi forfeiting his seat for having missed two consecutive parliamentary sessions after he followed his brother into self-imposed exile in South Africa...
Although the electoral dice are heavily loaded in the ruling party's favour the BDP faces a strong challenge from an opposition alliance including the former president Ian Khama (see accompanying feature Masisi needs diamonds for trumps)...
It will also act as a rebuff to ex-President Ian Khama's public warnings that De Beers would walk if too much was demanded from it...
' The deal with HB Antwerp has also been lambasted by self-exiled former President Ian Khama who claimed the deal risked destroying Botswana's 54-year-old partnership with De Beers (AC Vol 64 No 4 Court deals poll blow to Khama)...
Masisi's sunny relations with Mnangagwa make a stark contrast with the feud that governed relations between the predecessors of both men Ian Khama and Robert Mugabe...
President Mokgweetsi Masisi's supporters in his bitter struggle with former mentor and predecessor Ian Khama are congratulating themselves following a court ruling that has neutered Khama's plans to return to politics...