The Botswana government said on Friday that it feels let down by former president Ian Khama as he has spurned efforts to reconcile with his successor.
Addressing the media, Permanent Secretary to the President Carter Morupisi said he was concerned about the sour relations between President Mokgweetsi Masisi and Khama.
Khama has accused the government of denying him some of the benefits he is entitled to as a former president.
Morupisi said some of the things Khama requested from the government were not within the law.
“To tell you the truth, Khama made some decisions that affected his retirement whilst he was still President. Even Masisi asked me at one point why some of the decisions were made and I did not have an answer,” said Morupisi.
On Khama playing an active role in politics, Morupisi said “the law is not clear” on whether a former president can engage in active politics.
“It does not bar them from active politics, but there is a clause which is not clear. It says that if you are a former President and you align with a foreign state, government of the day can then decide on what action to take, but the law is not clear on that one,” the official said.
On Khama visiting Dalai Lama without the approval of the Botswana authorities, Morupisi said the government “begged Khama not to honour the Dalai Lama’s invitation but he would not listen.”
KO/jn/APA