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Losing Cabinet Ministers out of general elctions


By: Mothusi Elatotswe

President Ian Khama will in October this year lead the ruling party to general elections without about half of his trusted men and women after the majority of them lost their bids to make it back to parliament. There are eight senior and junior cabinet ministers who will not make it back to parliament after losing in the Botswana Democratic Party’s (BDP) primary elections. Of the eight, four could possibly be saved by the Special Nomination in the event Botswana Democratic Party gets re-elected into power. Ministers who are affected are Ramadeluka Seretse of Defence, Health minister Dr John Seakgosing and his deputy Dr Gloria Somolekae, Lebonaamang Mokalake of Lands and Housing, Phandu Skelemani (Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation), Peter Siele and his deputy Olebile Gaborone both at Local Government and Rural Development and deputy minister of Agriculture Oreeditse Molebatsi. Vice President and MP for Mmadinare Dr Ponatshego Kedikilwe has already made it clear that he will be retiring from active politics and civil service, while constitutionally Minister of Finance and Development Planning and Specially Elected MP Kenneth Matambo will not be eligible for another special election. Therefore this means that Khama will have to assemble another team that will help him run the country. For the losing ministers this could mean two things for these remaining five months before general elections; either to win Khama’s heart for Special Election or a Diplomatic Post or to totally venture into other businesses outside the civil service or face political wilderness. Onlookers believe this is likely also to affect their performance at Ministerial level as they know they might not come back. The trend in Botswana is that the future of former Cabinet Ministers who lost elections depends solely on the President. The President can either leave you in the cold or extend a helping hand by special election or even a Diplomatic Post. Former Cabinet Ministers like Pelokgale Seloma, Boometswe Mokgothu, Thebe Mogami, Moggie Mbaakanyi, and Professor Sheila Tlou are some of the former ministers who were left in the cold after they lost elections in their respective constituencies. Some of the losing ministers who got the President heart got the special nominations and ambassadorial posts are the likes of Jacob Nkate, Lesego Motsumi, Gladys Kokorwe, and Duke Lefhoko. Among those who fancy themselves a better chance of returning to parliament is Seretse whom Khama has trusted him with the Defence portfolio. Skelemani would also believe he has done enough to win Khama’s warmth over the years. Outmost loyalty to President Khama will be key in these remaining months for one to get a dignified exist. For his part the Minister of Justice, Defence and Security and also the incumbent Member of Parliament for Serowe North East, Ramadeluka Seretse said and member of the BDP and will contribute to party immensely, “I am committed to reinforcing the efforts of my party to retain the Serowe North East Constituency and continue to serve the party as best as I can,” said Seretse. On what will be his next career step post elections Seretse said he will continue to consider options and or opportunities that present themselves, but he can’t disclose them yet and he will continue to be an active politician and hence help ruling party to win elections.

Political Analyst Lawrence Ookeditse said that the loss of Khama’s ministers at primary elections has both positive and negative outcomes. “For best democratic practices it is important to have such a situation because there will be new and fresh ideas on how best to run the country,” he said. Ookeditse is also of the view that this situation will also help to break the corruption cycle that is usually brought about by prolonged stay in ministerial positions. He said this is so because in most cases ministers and government officials tend to get comfortable and become complacent which in turn breed corruption and malpractices. But he also argues the situation is also likely to impact on minister’s service delivery, “This may affect their level of productivity at work when they know that they will be out for someone and it may also affect the smooth running of the country when most of ministers are concerned with their future overlooking their mandate of serving the nation,” he said. On what options do Khama’s allies have, Ookeditse believes some of them may start asking for favors to save their political fading careers.

2014 Party manifestos-what they say....
As the general elections approach, political parties are stepping up their campaigns. Among their campaign tools is a binding contract known as ‘manifesto’. But the question is, does the public have access to, read and understand this manifestos? Current Affairs reporter MOTHUSI ELATOTSWE took to the streets of Gaborone to talk to a few people. The reactions were mixed.

Bronsky, B- Gaborone “I never got access and time to these party manifestos but I only heard that BCP and BDP have launched theirs, but I will take time to access them to read and understand them because they are important in an election year”

Lovely Onks Coetzee, Gaborone “I don’t know anything about party manifestos, what I only know is that BDP is the ruling party and that Dumelang Saleshando is saying he is ready to lead. I also heard that DJ Sid of My Star will be contesting this year’s general elections”

Hopolang Mohlokoana, Gabane “I have never read them and do not have interest on them. They are pointless because we vote basing on who our candidate and the party which they are representing not on what they promise once voted into office”.

Messiah Poloko, Mmopane/Block 1 “I understand what a party manifesto is but I haven’t read these political party manifestos yet it is an election year. I believe they will avail them to us as we move closer to the elections because they will want us to vote for them”

Kabelo Klist Kedomele, Gabane “I am not interested in politics or party manifestos because we vote people and then they disappear only to come in another election year with other manifestos yet they don’t let us know what they have done for us”

Ketshephileone, Gaborone “I have registered to vote and I will be doing so in October. I heard last week on television when Saleshando was talking about manifesto of his party but I don’t know what it is and how it looks like but what major concern is that who will I be voting during the general elections.”

Mmusi Modukanele, Gabane “I have never come across any party manifestos and as such I could not comment about manifestos because I have not seen any of them. I have come to a conclusion that these political parties are not doing enough to sell manifestos to us yet elections are within five months.”

Nancy Mengi, Gaborone “I have registered for election at my location but I am not sure who to vote because I have not seen their manifestos. The other problem that contributes to this is the constant defections by politicians because the one I have decided to vote has now left and says will contest as an independent which means he will also have his manifestos”

Tebogo Baedzi, Tlokweng “I have managed to secure a manifesto of my party and I have read it and understand it very well and I will be voting basing on what I have read. I have also come across BCP manifesto but I have not read it but as for UDC manifestos I don’t know if they have one because of the cases at court”

Victor M, Gaborone “I will be voting these coming general elections, already I have started to prepare to vote in my home village, I have managed to secure BCP manifesto in April when it was launched at Maru-a-pula. I have compared it with other party’s manifestos and I believe it’s the best among BDP and UDC.”

Bontle Tsheko, Gaborone“I am only aware of the supplementary registration; I don’t even have any idea of what a manifesto is because I have not seen one. What I know is that I will have to choose who to vote between BDP, BCP and UDC, but I will make time to get one and see what it is.”

Business flourish at BDP G-West candidates launch
BY: Mothusi Elatotswe

Over the weekend the incumbent Member of Parliament and the Parliamentary Candidate for Gaborone Bonnington South Botsalo Ntuane hosted the final voter registration festival at Gaborone West location to sensitize the voters to register for general elections. The event that on a normal day will cost revelers a minimum of P100 over the weekend was a free for all festival. The festival that was hosted at Bophirima Primary School in Ntuane’s constituency was a fun fare that brought people from as far as Gabane, Mmopane and Metsimotlhabe yet it was meant to target the unregistered voters of Gaborone Bonnington South constituency. When Ntuane and his team of councilors were cashing on the massive turn out at G-West, small scale business owners did not remain behind and made a kill from the turnout. The refreshments and complete meals were on sale at the grounds where most of the revelers spent their money on whatever their mouth watered for. Joseph Kgomela, a resident of G-West location selling fast food like hot dogs said his small scale business had flourished at the event, “Today I have made a kill from this event because it started in the morning therefore people got hungry and bought food from my stall,” he said. He also attributed the success of his business to the fact that the event was free and for all, therefore members of the public were not enduring any costs he made more profit than what he usually get on his normal days. However, another business owner Kopano Phagodi, also a resident of G-West who usually operates her business from G-West mall was impressed with the sales she got and hopes the events of such nature could happen on weekly basis, “I wish this kind of events could take place time and again because we tend to have increased revenue as compared to normal days,” she said. Her concern was that the public was only concerned with performances of big shots like Splash, A.T.I, Shumba Ratshega, Alfredo Mos and Slizer.

For his part the man behind the event Botsalo Ntuane was over the moon about the success of the event, “This was an event that was organized to sensitize the prospective voters to register for this final supplementary voter registration,” said an elated Ntuane. He said he came up with this idea to complement the efforts by the Independent Electoral Commission to inspire people to register for this year general elections. Meanwhile, the Principal Electoral Officer responsible for Gaborone Constituencies Mr Lesh Toteng said that the festival had an impact on voter registration, “The festival attracted so many people, and we managed to register a significant number of voters on that day,” said Toteng. He also said as IEC they welcome any efforts by political parties since they are the main players in the electoral process to have events of such nature that will enhance voter registration.

MPs grills Kgosi
By: Mothusi Elatotswe

Members of the Parliamentary Public Accounts took on the Director General of Directorate of Intelligence and Security Isaac Kgosi as they wanted answers regarding allegations leveled against his organisation. First it was Kanye North Member of Parliament Kentse Rammidi who wanted the DIS Chief to clarify on the alleged hit list that is alleged to consist mainly of opposition activists. The hit list came into prominence after revelations by Umbrella for Democratic Change leader Duma Boko when launching parliamentary candidate for Gabane/Mmankgodi Pius Mokgware.

“I want to clarify whether as Botswana we have also gone that far of assassinating political opponents,” asked Rammidi. In response the intelligence boss said he was surprised to hear about this hit list and even enaged the Police to investigate this matter further, “Sir, I was surprised to hear about this hit list that is believed to be from the DIS and it is disappointing that as general elections approaches people tend to get excited and make misleading statements,” said Kgosi.

The Accounting officer of Intelligence said they had engaged the Police Department to investigate the matter and if it appears that any of his officers is behind the alleged hit list he will waive away privileges for that individual to be prosecuted. Then the MP for Shoshong Phillip Makgalemele took on Kgosi to explain why foreigners got their work and residence permits rejected yet some of them have been in the country for many years.

At that point the MP for Kgatleng East Isaac Mabiletsa also wanted to know why these security cleareances are not unpacked so that as legislators they help the aggrieved parties, “As MPs there is nothing we could do when constituents appeal to us for help, so why not unpack these security checks,” asked Mabiletsa. In response Kgosi said, “This country was taken for a ride for the past years and people used to make huge profits while exploiting citizens, we also used to avail these reasons for security vetting but that compromised our operations,” said the intelligence accounting officer. Kgosi also noted that he will not at any day comprise the security of the country, and as such he will not care if it is his friend, senior government official or a relative. He also requested that some of the information is not subjected to public consumption and therefore he would like to submit in a closed door meeting with only members of the committee.

For his part Gilson Saleshando of Selibe-Phikwe wanted the Intelligence accounting officer to clarify to the committee what is doing to address the growing trend of bomb scares to which Kgosi replied, “Our analysis have shown that banks and financial institutions are mainly targeted and investigations are underway and those who were involved in this pranks will be brought to book. He also noted that the other problem they face is that people make these bomb scares and later turn to lawyers who defend them against the wrath of law but stated that as the intelligence community they are working hard to address the problem. Prince Maele of Tswapong North challenged the DIS Chief to work on the organisation’s public relations strategy that will deal with the publicity and information and also engage on some stakeholders meetings to which Kgosi said point taken.

Clinics fuels HIV stigma?
By: Mothusi Elatotswe

The accounting officer of Ministry of Health Dr Kolaatamo Malefho has acknowledged that hospitals and clinics Antiretroviral drugs dispensation unit fuels stigma on HIV positive patients who come for checkups and collections of the drugs. Malefho who is also the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry told the Public Accounts Committee this in his response to the question that was put to him by the PAC member and Kanye North legislator Kentse Rammidi. The Botswana Congress Party Member of Parliament wanted the accounting officer to state whether he is aware of this problem, “Your Ministry has isolated ARV patients and as such they are labeled ba ke ba ba komang which indicates that hospitals and clinics fuels stigma,” said Rammidi.

According to the legislator this is problematic because in the end patients fail to regularly and continuously adhere to taking drugs, this is mainly to the fact that people fear to be mocked at their health status. In response Malefho said, “Sir, time has come to relook at this dispensation unit because when people do not adhere to treatment this defeat the government’s efforts of fighting this pandemic,” acknowledged Malefho.

The accounting officer told the PAC that ever since the free distribution of ARVs the cases of new infections have significantly dropped to which members of the committee applauded government through his Ministry for availing free ARVs to the HIV positive patients. Another PAC member and Selibe Phikwe West legislator Gilson Saleshando challenged the accounting officer to explain to explain why his Ministry has failed to retain the health specialists after the global economic meltdown, “You mentioned in your report that your Ministry is failing to retain health specialists after recession so does this problem persisted before,” asked senior Saleshando.

This came after Dr Malefho told the committee that after the global economic recession the ministry lost health specialists to private sector and to other neighboring counties like South Africa and Namibia. “These health specialists have left our Ministry either to private sector or other countries in the region in search of greener pastures because the ministry could not compete with private companies or what other countries were offering them,” responded Malefho. But to remedy the situation he said as the Ministry they took decision two years ago and engaged private companies to provide such specialties that are need by government.

On related matters Dr Malefho told Public Accounts Committee that over half of the sex workers in the country are HIV positive. Malefho made these revelations during the PAC meeting when delivering his Ministry’s report to the committee. The Health accounting officer said this when deliberating on what his Ministry is doing to address the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the country and as such they have resolved to engage the sex workers, “To stop the spread of HIV/AIDS we have taken a decision to engage them on how best to address the spread of this pandemic,” said Malefho. His revelations follows the statements that were uttered by former President Festus Mogae at a recent National Aids Coordinating Agency council meeting who said it high time that the government stops harassing sex workers and in turn recognize their existence and de-criminalize the profession and meaningfully engage them on how to address this problem.