Reverse the civil servants entrepreneurship policy

Mmegi Editor | Wednesday August 5, 2015 16:59

These were employees of among others, the University of Botswana, Botswana Power Corporation, Debswana, and other organisations in which government has a stake.

The rationale was that conflict of interest and the possibility of sabotage of organisations on the part of the occupants were a likelihood to gain political mileage.  The policy also extended to government casual workers, who were also prohibited from contesting for political office whilst still employed.

The old policy created a scenario where a council junior officer suddenly became their bosses’ boss after winning the elections, and therefore causing confusion. The idea was implemented despite protest. Now, in a very surprising move, government has passed a policy, which allows civil servants to venture into entrepreneurship while still in office.

In his address at the Mmadinare Agricultural Show last weekend, the president of Business Botswana, formerly known as Botswana Confederation of Commerce Industry and Manpower (BOCCIM), Lekwalo Mosienyane expressed concern that the move was likely to incubate corruption, as civil servants will be ‘players and referees at the same time’.

He stated that there were enough problems with corruption already and that there was no need to worsen the situation.

Mosienyane’s viewpoint was that civil servants who wished to venture into industries should first leave their service to compete fairly with other business players. We cannot agree more with Business Botswana.  The mandate of civil servants is clear.  They have a duty to serve the public without fear, favour or influence.  With the absence of the declaration of assets and liabilities, we have witnessed instances where civil servants and politicians failing to assert their interests behind closed-door meetings held to decide multimillion Pula tenders. We have also recently heard about civil servants in the Department of Road, Transport and Safety acquiring multiple permits for themselves, using their friends to front.  The misdeeds are endless...

It is therefore disturbing that government went ahead with a policy that allows civil servants to do business and compete with hard pressed business people.  We should be mindful of the fact that these individuals are privy to information, some of which is confidential and is about government plans for the future.  Not only that, civil servants are formulators of government projects and they decide on which companies should be awarded what tenders.

It is against this backdrop that we call on government to review this policy and not allow civil servants to do business. Those with such interests should step down and engage in business only after a satisfactory grace period.  Review this policy before it is too late.

Today’s thought

“These men ask for just the same thing, fairness, and fairness only. This, so far as in my power, they, and all others, shall have.”

 

 – Abraham Lincoln