City-to-City trekker reaches OP
Baboki Kayawe | Tuesday June 2, 2015 16:17
In the afternoon of the same day, a visibly exhausted and dusty Chwene again walked into Mmegi offices where he got straight to the point.
He said the Private Secretary to the President, Brigadier George Tlhalerwa received him warmly upon his arrival in the capital city at lunch.
“Tlhalerwa received me very well. He took notes in addition to his assurance that he would update President Ian Khama on my matter,” says Chwene.
“Tlhalerwa promised to give me a call before 8:30 am today (Tuesday) to communicate how the presidency has resolved his case.” Chwene drew attention of the local media when he embarked on the gruelling 420-kilometre walk from Francistown to Gaborone in protest against CEDA turning down his lablab seed production proposal.
Upon arrival at the Office of the President, Chwene says he was offered cold water, but insisted on having just tap water since he feared the former would prompt health complications after walking such a distance.
The fatigued Chwene says Tlhalerwa was pleased with his determination and confidence to do ‘the walk for justice’- as he calls it.
“He told me that ‘if a man can do this, nothing can stop him from getting anything’, and he appreciated my act as he says he has never walked that distance himself,” Chwene says.
The Tonota-born youth says he embarked on this journey because of the passion he has for a good living.
Farming, he says, is his gateway to a comfortable life; marked by the availability of hot running water, three meals per day, electricity and a roof over his head- without the pressure of paying rent.
“Do you know why we pursue business? It’s happiness, but that happiness comes when you live well- I don’t desire a luxurious life, I want to live well,” he says.
He confesses this has been the longest journey he has ever incurred. His bone of contention is that the CEDA is not questioning the viability of his project, rather the amount he is asking.
“They are saying the cost of production is surpassed by that of development instead. This is normal because I have to buy and service land hence this cost,” he argues.
He intends to buy an 880 hectares farm (at the cost of P1.4 million) along Vukwi River near Gulubane village where his project is earmarked.
Chwene says the rationale behind this initiative is that lablab seedlings fetch a good price at the moment. He says farmers who buy the seedlings for planting would not have to actually wait for it to ripen and bear seeds; at that stage it would mean that protein is lost from the stalks to be fed to livestock. Chwene dismisses those who question his mental department, as just critics making small talk.
“I am very much normal. I am even more normal than those questioning my sanity. People have protested before. Do they want to tell me Martin Luther King Jr was insane, was Mahatma Gandhi insane?” he asks rhetorically.