Word is very strong that President Mogae’s spin-doctor, Jeff Ramsay might swap his ‘doctoring’ pen for the microphone at Botswana Television and Radio Botswana. Although Ramsay currently occupies what is currently the most sought after job at government enclave, it is understood that his handlers view the Btv job as a major one in conditioning people for a new dispensation. Ramsay is widely seen as the only man today who has the ear of both President Mogae and his number two Vice President Ian Khama.
Sources say Ramsay enjoys his current job as Presidential spokesperson but he will not have any choice when it is time to do his masters’s bidding. Ramsay will not be the first one to step down from the citadel of power and roll down his sleeves at Btv. His predecessor Andrew Sesinyi did the same at the height of his differences with the then Permanent Secretary to the President.
But some say both President Mogae and Ian Khama will not allow the departure of the trusted Ramsay.
“Afterall, they can still control Btv and radio Botswana from Office of the President. They do not need to be physically present at the stations. I doubt that Ramsay will go,” observed one.
Ramsay has ruled himself out.
He said it was highly impossible that he could succeed Sosome because he is doing “important” things at his office. He said he doesn’t know much about television and only had an encounter with it during his student days. Furthermore, Ramsay said that nobody has approached him about joining the state television and that the department has already approached a local for the position.
Others say it is the current director of Broadcasting Services, Bapasi Mphusu, who will take over the hot seat. In fact, people say in voices louder than a whisper that Mphusu has already been approached.
“ He has given government his conditions and the two parties are just about to conclude,” a source said.
Like Ramsay, Mphusu has flatly denied any knowledge of any approach from any quarter.
As head of broadcasting services, Mphusu oversees such publications as Daily News, and the government’s news agency arm Kutlwano. Should Mphusu ascend to the hot seat, sources say, it is almost a given that Banyana Segwe will fill the vacancy at broadcasting services.
Although she formerly had a stint at Btv, Sholo Phetlhu’s chances are described as non-existent in ever landing any of the two top jobs.
There is a suggestion that the powers that be are toying around with the idea of bringing a no-nonsense expatriate to implement the will of the authority at the two stations.
Sosome has left civil service and will now be responsible for installation of transmitters countrywide. Attempts to get a comment from Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Communications, Science and Technology were futile.
