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Serowe: Unassuming hometown of Botswana presidents

By Sibongile Khumalo
Botswana Botswana's President Ian Khama casts his ballot at a polling station in his hometown Serowe on October 24, 2014 for the country's general elections.  By Marco Longari AFP
OCT 24, 2014 LISTEN
Botswana's President Ian Khama casts his ballot at a polling station in his hometown Serowe on October 24, 2014 for the country's general elections. By Marco Longari (AFP)

SEROWE (Botswana) (AFP) - Tucked away in the sparse savanna of central Botswana, the town of Serowe is off the radar for most travellers despite being the home town of three of the country's four presidents.

Even as the nation voted in general elections Friday, the unassuming town 300 kilometres (185 miles) north of the capital Gaberone showed little evidence of its rich political history -- apart from the fact that President Ian Khama cast his vote there.

It's the birthplace of Khama's father, the southern African country's founding president Seretse Khama, as well as former president Festus Mogae.

"We are privileged to call ourselves residents of Serowe, it's a special place for most Batswana, because of of its links with Sir Seretse Khama," said Ida Maja, a 45-year-old resident shuffling along in the queue outside a voting station.

"We consider the old Khama to be our father and his son president Khama is not only the president, he is also our traditional leader," she boasted.

It is this attachment to the Khamas, along with solid support in other rural areas, that appears to ensure that Khama will retain power, despite facing an increasing challenge from opposition parties in urban areas.

"He has been a great leader and respects his people. My vote goes to his party," said Maja.

Khama's ancestral home, even though none of his family members now live there, has escaped the influx of the high-end tourism establishments dotting this remote part of the country.

The 61-year-old, whose mother Ruth was a white English woman, was born in England and his parents returned to Botswana after years in exile when he was a toddler.

His parents are buried in Serowe, which falls under the area he rules over as tribal chief, a position he inherited from his father.

- Youth less sentimental -

But the young people of the town of some 60,000 people are less sentimental about its political links.

"We need to look beyond the history and sentiments and ask ourselves what does all this history mean for us," said Thuto Matswiri a college student.

"Personally it has little significance, considering our present circumstances as residents who live on so little," said Matswiri.

A handful of shops and a clutch of government buildings are the town's lifeblood, providing no material for the glossy travel magazines marketing Botswana as southern Africa's premier safari destination.

The town boasts the largest health facility in the country, the Sekgoma Memorial Hospital, named after Khama's great grandfather.

But stray cows and goats still roam the streets, many of which are unpaved and wind between traditional thatched homes.

Despite this, "this place deserves a lot of respect from the nation as a whole, it should be our spiritual capital," said Isaac Motsoaledi.

"Khama is going to trounce his political opponents, I am certain of that," he said.

Khama's party, the Botswana Democratic Party has been in power since independence from Britain in 1966.

The results of the poll which are expected to hand him a second term in office are expected on Saturday.

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