Pan Afrikanist Watchman

The Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) has reacted with “shock” to the appointment of Boyce Sebetlela to the newly-created post of Chief of Staff in the civil service.

Sebetela is not only a former Member of Parliament for Palapye and Minister but also a member of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party and party functionary.

The UDC fears that the position of Chief of Staff, which it says is akin to Prime Minister, has been tailor-made for Sebetlela and portends abuse of power by the president and his party. It is also a waste of resources, UDC says.

The coalition of three parties – Botswana National Front, Botswana Congress Party, and Botswana People’s Party – says the appointment signals a hitherto unprecedented culture of bad governance by BDP.

It is a culture in which appointments and promotions in the civil service will now be openly based on political considerations, nepotism, and tokenism.

Party Spokesman, Moeti Mohwasa says it is a clear act of politicisation of the civil service, which will erode professionalism and service delivery.

Further, the UDC says it remains unclear what the Chief of Staff is going to do that is not already being done, or cannot be done by the Vice President, Permanent Secretary to the President, or the Cabinet Ministers and their Assistants.

The UDC is vexed by this new appointment given that government strategy and coordination are currently (presumably) marshalled by the Government Implementation Coordination Office (GICO), National Strategy Office (NSO) as well as the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning.

“The political appointment of Sebetlela to the Office of the President is at best a clear vote of no confidence on the Vice President, who has no other function than to act as the President in Masisi’s absence, Minister Kabo Morwaeng who is a Minister in the Office, together with his Assistant, Meshack Mthimkhulu”, Mohwasa said in a press statement he issued on behalf of the UDC.

The party is equally concerned that while the civil service is being ballooned at the high end of the scales at the Office of the President with a number of Permanent Secretaries, Deputy Permanent Secretaries, Directors, and other posts at such levels, an “employment freeze” has been declared at the operational level.

This freeze has led to many vacancies in Land Boards, Hospitals and clinics, and other Government departments, which has affected service delivery.

UDC says the appointment of Boyce Sebetela cannot be said to have anything to do with Government business, but merely management of BDP “internal arrangements”.

“Let us not forget that just recently, President Masisi created yet another token position of Ambassador at Large for the erstwhile Permanent Secretary, Mr. Elias Magosi.

“He went further to appoint a third Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, just so that he can fulfill a deal supposedly entered into with an opposition Member of Parliament who joined the BDP not long ago”, the UDC said, in reference to the appointment of Mabuse Pule to the ministry.

Pule, former Deputy Speaker of Parliament paved way for Pono Moalthodi, who had left the opposition, to take over as Deputy Speaker of Parliament.

“These are classical cases of abuse of power and waste of public resources by a President and a Party that cares less about the plight of Batswana at the height of unprecedented health and economic crisis”, the UDC blasted.

The party vowed that it will continue to sensitise Batswana and the international community on these issues and urged all patriots to continue to hold the BDP Government accountable.