Tshekedi Khama's Rights
The decision of the Minister of Commonwealth Relations to permit the return of Tshekedi Khama to his home in the Bamangwato territory on certain conditions does credit to Lord Ismay's courage, and, as it is likely to prove, to his political wisdom. The conditions are reasonable, and are accepted as such by Tshekedi Khama himself. He is to go back in the first instance for a month or so, on the understanding that he does not engage in the local politics of the Bamangwato tribe, but he is quite free to work politically for the welfare of the Bechuana- land Protectorate as a whole, which consists of eight tribes, including the Bamangwato. Whereas, moreover, the Labour Government excluded Tshekedi from Bamangwato territory on the ground that his presence would occasion disturbances—a matter over which he could clearly have no control—the present Government allows him to return conditionally on keeping aloof from local politics, a matter over which he has complete control. This decision runs counter to the findings of the commission of three which recently visited Bechuanaland, and, it would appear, of British officials on the spot. But there have been some grounds for questioning rather seriously the judgement of British officials on the spot. What Lord Ismay has decided is that if all goes well Tshekedi will enjoy progressive, and ultimately complete, freedom to look after his extensive interests in Bamangwato territory. It is a happy, if deplorably delayed, solution. Seretse Khama's future, meanwhile, remains undecided.
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