Khama's Cabinet: How they performed
Staff Writer | Thursday August 14, 2014 12:44
Kitso Mokaila - A*
General Demeanor: Those who have worked with Mokaila say the man is an extrovert. He can be as friendly as he can be cheeky. When it comes to decision-making, you can trust Mokaila’s decisiveness, although he is reported to at times make rash decisions.
Performance: Although he inherited a ministry bedeviled chiefly by power cuts and water shortages, Mokaila quickly adapted and proved himself as a hands-on minister at grips with issues at the ministry. Mokaila’s management of Botswana’s mineral portfolio has been exceptional. He has also done very well in assuaging the fears of the private sector around intermittent water shortages and power cuts, and has gone on to fulfill the promises that he made.
For a minister who heads the second biggest ministry in terms of portfolio - after education - Mokaila was absolutely a worthy successor to Vice President Ponatshego Kedikilwe. He has proved himself to be an all-rounder, for even while at the rather laid-back Ministry of Environment Tourism and Wildlife, he was well acquainted with the issues at the ministry.
Dorcas Makgato-Malesu - A*
General Demeanor: Approachable, friendly and cheeky.
Performance: Makgato-Malesu is one of the hardest working ministers. She is the darling of the private sector. If in appointing Makgato-Malesu, President Khama was looking for someone whom the private sector could trust and be happy to work with, he achieved that in Dorcas Makgato-Malesu. She has driven the industrialisation agenda -which is a national priority- skillfully through the Economic Diversification Drive and also through her robust efforts around the SACU industrialisation policy.
The two are geared at having greater industrialisation, which should reduce the import bill and create employment for citizens. Her greatest achievements include the establishment of the Competition Authority, and her resolute position regarding the SACU revenue formula and most recently, the signing of the SADC-EU trade deal after more than 10 years of negotiations. She chaired the SADC-EPA Group (The seven SADC states that sought a new trade-deal with EU).
Nonofo Molefhi - A
General Demeanor: Molefhi is an embodiment of humility. He does not care for class and would as fervently assist a ragged fellow who walks into his office as he would a moneyed visitor. Such is Molefhi’s humility and his identification with the masses that he has been seen playing ‘mhele’ with ordinary folks under a tree at the Gaborone Main Mall. He has been known to refuse to accept ‘favours’ to jump the queue in a bank, choosing instead to await his turn. The man is honest – perhaps too honest for the game, and avoids dirty politicking like leprosy. This has earned him respect across the political divide.
Performance: Molefhi is without doubt one of the hardest working ministers. His handling of issues at the trouble-ridden Ministry of Lands was highly commendable. He was not flustered by the many issues bedeviling the ministry and managed to always find that delicate balance between strict application of the law and the human face. It was possibly from realising his ability to deal with difficult ministries that President Khama transferred him to Transport and Communications. Besides Local Government and Education this is another ministry that has numerous problems and would elsewhere on earth have been split into at least two ministries. While he may not have been able to complete all the problem projects, Molefhi quite easily finds the sympathy of Batswana as it is apparent that he could only do so much.
Johnny Swartz - B
General Demeanor: Approachable, non-confrontational and easy to accept correction, Swartz is one of the ruling BDP ministers who is known to eschew dirty politics.
Performance: Swartz is the longest serving minister, having served under three presidents, Sir Ketumile Masire, Festus Mogae and Ian Khama. Ostensibly Swartz’s appointment as a minister for the last 25 years is testimony of the presidents’ trust in him. Swartz can count among his achievements the following: The establishment of the innovation hub; in as much as the hub’s establishment followed a presidential directive, Swartz took a hands-on approach to ensure its full establishment. He did the same with the BIUST project in Palapye. He did a good job ensuring works providers such as builders, architects and engineers set up oversight institutions to deal with issues of quality and ethics.
However a number of projects have taken away marks from Swartz. These include the Francistown Stadium, which could very well become a relic after being under construction for the last two years; the Gaborone stadium that was only completed recently, after nearly five years of commencement of works; Dibete Police Station, which may have to be razed to the ground because of its numerous structural defects and also the Sir Seretse Khama International Airport. However in realisation of the fact that he has in reality three huge and difficult portfolios to take care of, namely Science, Infrastructure and Technology, Swartz can be forgiven for his seeming inability to deliver.
Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi - C-
General Demeanor: Feisty, approachable, independent-minded and motherly.
Venson-Moitoi’s assessment is based on her performance before she was appointed as a super-consultant in the same ministry.
She led the most difficult ministry, which has always been seen as an exit ministry. It is easy to give the woman an absolute fail without considering the many hurdles she had to surmount. Most of these were steeped too high even for someone as versatile as Venson-Moitoi.
It was during her tenure that the country registered the worst result for all government schools. That could be attributed to the prolonged strike by teachers, but at the end of the day, it was Venson-Moitoi’s responsibility to ensure good performance by schools. Her deployment in April this year by President Ian Khama, in the same ministry as a consultant has been seen as a demotion owing to the dismal performance of the ministry. However we temper justice with mercy mainly due to the fact Education is a very vast and difficult ministry.
Phandu Skelemani: C
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Phandu Skelemani is not the one to mince words. Since his appointment to the top diplomatic post is 2008, Skelemani attracted more controversy than any of his colleagues. When it comes to chastising ‘dictatorial’ presidents, Skelemani easily takes the prize. Remember how he publicly berated Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe and Kenya’s Uhuru Kenyatta?
At the same time Skelemani has had the blessing to represent Botswana in nearly all important international gatherings as President Ian Khama remained home or went touring with conservationists. Skelemani has as such become the face of Botswana and has even been referred by the less knowledgeable as President of Botswana. The latest US-Africa summit is a case in point. To that end, Skelemani has done a good job helping the world remember there is a little country in Southern Africa called Botswana.
Tshekedi Khama B
General demeanor: friendly, approachable, but can be ‘royally cheeky’ when he chooses to be.
Tshekedi Khama has dutifully kept the country’s tourism sector going. None could be expected from President Khama’s younger brother who joined cabinet in 2012. His brother is a top conservationist and would not have appointed him to lead this critical ministry unless he absolutely trusted him to deliver. And Tshekedi has not disappointed. Right around us poachers are wreaking havoc, killing hundreds of rhinos and elephants, but Botswana has put up a robust fight under Tshekedi. Botswana conservation instincts remain high under Tshekedi. While this good performance may be seen as due to Khama’s vested interest in wildlife, the bottom line is that the man has done a good job from which the nation stands to benefit.
Shaw Kgathi: C-
General Demeanor: Kgathi may need to climb down from the tower. Many view him as a direct opposite of the friendly, approachable person he was when he initially vied for Parliament.
Performance: He had a lukewarm time in charge of what was easily the biggest constituency in the ministry- sports. Pertinent issues, including the constituency tournaments were left to simmer and were not conclusively dealt with. He will however claim credit for bringing warring bodies, the Botswana National Sports Council, the Botswana National Olympics Committee and the Department of Sports and Recreation together. But one would argue the peace pipe smoking process began during the Gladys Kokorwe era.
Again critics will claim the three bodies are not entirely at peace although a Sports Bill recently passed in parliament is expected to settle the contest.
Kgathi can walk tall as the country’s most sparkling moments arrived during his term. The Zebras qualified for their first ever Africa Cup of Nations finals, Amantle Montsho grabbed gold at the Commonwealth Games and became the world’s 400m champion, while Nijel Amos landed the country’s first ever medal at the Olympic Games.
Kgathi left sports yearning for more government funding after the budget was chopped despite evidence of success scattered across discipline
Ndelu Seretse: B
General Demeanor: Friendly to the media, and most people say to everybody.
Performance Generally, as captain of the country’s security organs, Ndelu has done well.
Christiaan De Graaf – C
General demeanor: De Graaf is mainly a closed book, perhaps largely to the language barrier and his inability to effectively sell himself.
Performance: He has publicly denied playing any role in the 2011-12 collapse of the Botswana Meat Commission putting the blame on the former CEO Dr David Falepau. However some have suggested he was complicit. The foot and mouth disaster in Zones 6 and 7 and Ngamiland all took place during De Graaf’s watch.
His handling of the situation and the subsequent restocking in Zone 6 and 7 have however generally been a success. In as much as some of the animals are dying, his ministry has been able to replace them. His ministry has been doing a good of encouraging row planting for arable farming and has generally done well in subsidising farmers.
Peter Siele B+
General Demeanor Soft spoken but can be feisty
Performance For a man who heads a people’s ministry such as Local Government, Siele has generally done well. He is a hard worker who is at grips with issues around his ministry.
Edwin Batshu – E
General Demeanor: He is easily approachable and willing to listen to complaints about his ministry.
Performance This former police commissioner has not done badly in terms of dealing with the question of illegal immigrants, issuance of work permits, and others. In fact, the issuance of work and residence permits for potential investors has become a very difficult undertaking and has caused the country to lose hundreds of jobs, and millions of Pula in investment.
Mokalake - E
General Demeanor Some MPs would not be too eager to describe Mokalake as a nice guy. Take Gibson Nshimwe for example whom he oncve accused of having AIDS.
Performance Mokalake greatest bane has been the land issue, which his predecessor Nonofo Molefhi ably handled. Today there is a lot of discontent around the country – especially among young people over his ministry’s failure to make land available.
Kenneth Matambo - B
General demeanor: A closed book, but those close to the man say he is friendly and approachable
Performance:-Having Steered the economy through the 2008 global financial crisis, the effects of which are still being felt upto now, Matambo’s infamous fiscal consolidation measures while unpopular with mostly the civil servants should be credited for the country’s present healthy economic position. For a country that is heavily exposed to international economic swings due to its weighty reliance on a single resource commodity, incurring only two annual budget deficits and one yearly negative economic growth rates since 2008 reflects the charismatic minister’s astute skills in managing the country’s revenue and expenditure.
The only deficiency surfaced in the minister’s budgetary and economic growth forecasting, which over the years saw revenues being continuously significantly underestimated in the national budget while economic growth projections have often turned out to be too optimistic.
Reverend Dr John Seakgosing - D
General Demeanorr: He is not easily approachable but again he is a reserved person.
Performance Since he became a Minister, the country experienced a long industrial strike in 2011 that saw the health sector suffering as a result. The industrial strike involved both doctors and nurses, which forced the government to go to court so to force them back to work. The dispute resulted in some health workers losing their jobs. The situation at health ministry has been deteriorating due to the constant shortage of drugs. There is widespread shortage of drugs in government health facilities and standards have plummeted.
Mokgweetsi Masisi - F
General Demeanor He has been described by his charges and collegues as fairly condescending and cheeky. Masisi spent most of his time in cabinet overseeing the Ministry of State President.
Performance Ministries under him include the official propaganda machine, the Government Communications Information Service – State House, government printer, DPSM, government media, DCEC, governmental portal. It was during his tenure that government media became rabidly pro-BDP. The man practically failed in every area of delivery.
He made a good job of ensuring government media towed the line and was at one point reported to be handling shop-floor issues, to the chagrin of relevant managers. His failed projects include the government portal, which has had millions poured into it but still looks like a hastily done school assignment. Relations between DPSM and workers hit an all-time low during his tenure. Government corruption has drastically increased, as corruption watchdog DCEC appears flustered whenever it has to bring the ‘big fish’ to book. Masisi’s poverty eradication programme workshops have gobbled millions of the taxpayer’s money, but the nation still has to see the results. Masisi, one one of the luminaries in Parliament would have done better to focus on doing his job, but he spent most of his time trying to please his superiors – a fact he gleefully embraced at a Moshupa Kgotla meeting when confessed to being a “lelope”.