BDP’s 40/60 Cabinet proposal: Progress or Malice?
Innocent Selatlhwa | Tuesday August 2, 2022 09:44
The move has received mixed reactions with some quarters calling for it to be precedent by direct election of the President.
The BDP submitted a proposal before the presidential constitutional review commission seeking that the President be given the power to choose 40% of Cabinet ministers from outside the National Assembly and 60% from within Parliament.
Representing the party before the commission, Attorney Basimane Bogopa said the move would help legislators to focus mostly on their constituencies since some complain that they are failing to deliver on their mandate on behalf of their constituents due to ministerial work, proving that they have bitten off more than they can chew.
The BDP told the commission that the development may give the President the choice when it comes to the selection of Cabinet ministers. “Currently, some MPs do not want to tell the truth as it is, because they have got fear of being victimised by constituents. We want ministers who will be able to deliver in helping that government policies are being implemented.
This will help MPs focus mostly on their constituencies,” the BDP said.
Political analyst Lesole Machacha has given the move thumbs up. “Democratically this is a good move. There is a need to appoint people on merit and it is not easy to do so in politics. Now with such a provision, our Cabinet could be more robust made up specialists in different fields. This has been happening in many countries and the results are visible,” he said.
president would use the positions to appoint proper intellectuals who will give Batswana hope and in turn present him as the rightful leader by the masses. He said there is already Specially Elected Members (SEMs) positions for rewarding politicians. “The President will need to work with advisors who do thorough work to ensure that even opposition politicians who are as bright as Ndaba Gaolathe can benefit the country.
This dispensation if used well would improve the country’s ailing economy.” Political analyst Adam Mfundisi reads malice in the move. “With the BDP you cannot trust them, whatever they do in most cases is for particular interests of the ruling elite.
Why did they settle for 40%? Batswana have spoken out clearly that they want direct election of the President. There should be proper separation of powers where the elected President would be trusted with selecting his Cabinet from outside Parliament,” he said.
Mfundisi further said it was bad that the president had set the tone for Batswana. “It was very wrong for the President and Minister Kabo Morwaeng to urge Batswana against direct election of the President. We know of the cult culture at the BDP where people rubberstamp what their leaders want. And we already know that the BDP will get their way at the end of the review and amendments,” he said.
For the Botswana Patriotic Front, it has to start with the President himself being elected by Batswana. “We actually think the President himself should be directly elected by Batswana. The office is too powerful for a person not popularly elected.
It will then follow that such a President have the license to select his/her Cabinet from outside Parliament,” BPF spokesperson Lawrence Ookeditse said. Efforts to get a comment form main opposition, the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) proved futile. Spokesperson Moeti Mohwasa and Leader of Opposition Dithapelo Keorapetse did not respond to questions fielded.
Recent media reports have stated that BDP MPs who hold ministerial posts want reforms in the 2023 primary elections to enhance their chances of retaining their seats. Some of the Cabinet ministers are said to be under pressure from electorates in their constituencies who are demanding accountability and delivery on the 2019 promises.
In the build up to 2019 general elections, as in previous elections, many Cabinet ministers lost primary elections. This caused problems to the party as some of those who lost were alleged to have de-campaigned those who defeated them. This would lead to the party going into elections divided. At the time of independence the National Assembly comprised the Speaker of the National Assembly namely, Dr Alfred Merriweather, 31 elected Members, four Specially Elected Members.
Members of Cabinet were drawn from the membership of the National Assembly. Sir Seretse Khama had been elected as Member of Parliament for Serowe North in 1965, and he continued as such until 1969 when legislation was passed allowing for the present system of Presidential elections where after he relinquished his position as MP for Serowe North.
Seretse was Prime Minister in an eight-member Cabinet. There were also three permanent secretaries at the time. Currently there are 18 ministers and seven assistants, with more Cabinet members than back benchers for the ruling party in Parliament.
According to Botswana's standing Constitution, the President nominates six candidate MPs, who are elected to Parliament by indirect suffrage by other MPs. Although fully in line with the Constitution, these appointments have proved controversial, since in most cases people who had just been defeated in the general election are selected.