The return of women
Pini Bothoko | Monday March 4, 2024 06:00
Dinah MaratheAfter spending 90% of her life as a police officer, Marathe was transferred and appointed the Commissioner of Botswana Prison Service becoming the first female commissioner of prisons back in 2021. Then, she left the Botswana Police Service as a Deputy Commissioner but she is returning home to head the institution that she has served for almost her entire adult life.
With her appointment as the Commissioner of Police, President Masisi seem to be showing confidence on her and trusted her with this position, which Phemelo Ramakorwane led for almost two years as an acting police Commissioner after the departure of Keabetswe Makgophe.
Just when she was settling in and believed to be transforming the prison service, Marathe has traced her steps back ‘home’, to the police service where she joined at the age of 19 years as a police constable. Marathe rose from the rank of Constable to become the first woman Deputy Commissioner of police, a position she held until she was appointed Prisons Commissioner. She now becomes the first woman Commissioner of Police.
Looking at the years she served and managed to climb the ladder across all ranks, her dedication to the service, Marathe deserves to be at the helm of the police service because she has earned it through hard work, diligence and commitment. Her courage and fearlessness in the male dominated environment indeed proved that Marathe is a capable candidate.
Phemelo RamakorwaneFollowing the suspension of former police Commissioner, Makgophe back in 2021, the then Deputy Commissioner Phemelo Ramakorwane was appointed the Acting Police Commissioner of Police. Then he was employed as the Deputy Commissioner Support Service, a critical unit which deals with police asserts, procurement and tendering processes. Under his command, the Botswana Police Service executed itself very well in combating cash in transit heists, home invasions, street smash and grabs and Auto Teller Machines blasting. He returned people’s trust in the service. He has been promoted and transferred from the BPS to the newly formed unit of Drugs Enforcement Agency (DEA) under the Ministry of Defence and Security as the Director General.
Bonolo Khumotaka:Khumotaka was appointed the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services back in 2019 but left the position back in 2022 under a cloud after she raised allegations of corruption in the ministry. Then the Argus Online quoted Khumotaka confirming her resignation on July 27, 2022 saying, “I really cannot divulge more information about my resignation, but just know that I am a principled person with integrity and I will go down that way rather than being drawn into corrupt issues.”
The resignation occurred barely a month after President Masisi had in one of the events in Moshupa introduced her as a best performing PS inside government, something that made her abrupt departure to appear even more dramatic. The President has appointed Khumotaka the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Skills Development, a crucial Ministry which takes care of the future of young people through the stages of education.
Bridget John: John, who served for a while as the Permanent Secretary under the Ministry of Basic Education, has been appointed the new PS in the Ministry of Youth, Gender Sports and Culture. Back in 2021, together with other senior government officials, John was allegedly arrested as part of government’s campaign to break the nexus of corruption between civil servants, private contractors and political leaders.
Then, their arrest was linked to allegations of wrong doing in the award of a multi-million pula tender for the upgrading of a school in northern Botswana. Her return is a sign that her services are still needed in the President Masisi-led government. She is not returned only on the gender card, but on her capabilities.
Antony Mokento:Prisons service’ former Deputy Commissioner, Anthony Mokento, has been promoted and takes the baton from Marathe to be the new Commissioner of Prisons. Mokento has over the years been one of the officers who speedily climbed up the prison service ladder and his promotion doesn’t come as a shocker. He has risen through the ranks and his appointment is really suitable as he has been a dedicated servant with a thorough knowledge on rehabilitation.
Miriam Maroba Meanwhile, Maroba who was appointed on promotion to be the PS in the Ministry of Basic Education back in 2022 has been deployed to the new role of co-ordinator of public schools concessionaire.
Kitso Kemoeng, a thorough bred civil servant has been transferred to Botswana Public Service College as the executive diretor, in what is viewed as a demotion of some sort. With background in sporting activies, he was most suitable at the Ministry of Youth, Gender, Sports and Culture.