When forced out ministers come back

| Friday September 3, 2010 00:00

 

In the film Casino by master director Martin Scorsese, the main character, Ace Rothstein, a casino owner, explains the virtues of Las Vegas. 'For guys like me, Las Vegas washes away your sins. It's like a morality car wash. It does for us what Lourdes does for humpbacks and cripples,' says Rothstein. It may be Las Vegas that does it for Rothstein. But for others, it is time that does it. In a country not known for long-term memory, politicians creaking under a heavy load of accusations can always point to time to save their political careers.

This week has once again opened up with a feeding frenzy for journalists, who in turn have been dishing out to the ever-hungry public. Over the weekend, there were murmurs that some minister might be resigning. On Tuesday it was a story. The Justice Minister, Ramadeluka Seretse would resign to face charges of corruption.

However, it is only the mark of this industry with such a short memory span that has caused those who keep sifting for the next breaking story to neglect the recent past.

About 11 years ago, little-known Jacob Nkate reached the zenith of infamy. It was revealed that Nkate who held the position of Assistant Minister of Finance and Development Planning was a director of a construction company, Zac Construction which often did work for government. The problem was that the Ministry of Finance presided over government projects through the then Central Tender Board.

Though he left in disgrace, Nkate made a grand come back into the cabinet as a full minister in charge of Lands and Settlement after the 1999 elections. He is currently the chief executive officer of the Botswana Export Development and Investment Authority.  A commission of inquiry in 1992 on the workings of the Botswana Housing Corporation found that current cabinet minister, Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi then the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Housing bore 'ultimate administrative responsibility' for the corruption that had engulfed the parastatal while 'political responsibility' was placed at the door of the late vice-president Peter Mmusi. Venson-Moitoi ultimately went to court, which overturned the findings of the commission. She is now a cabinet minister and in recent times, she has been mentioned as a possible vice-president.  In 1991, Daniel Kwelagobe, then Minister of Agriculture became the subject of a major scandal.

Then president Ketumile Masire called on veteran politician Englishman Kgabo to investigate allegations on land dealings in Gaborone, Mogoditshane and other peri-urban areas following allegations of illegal activity implicating senior cabinet members including Kwelagobe and Mmusi.  The Kgabo Commission concluded that Kwelagobe and Mmusi had used their political office to get land.

The two resigned from cabinet but took government to court, amidst opposition from Masire.

The High Court found that the commission's hearings should have been done in public and because this did not happen, Kwelagobe and Mmusi had been denied the right to be heard. The court therefore exonerated the duo.

Former Assistant Minister Michael Tshipinare was at some point convicted for his involvement in an unsavoury deal with a company known as Spectra. After serving part of his term he later made a come back and became a full minister. He was to be later appointed a special elected councillor.  This week analysts are predicting a cabinet reshuffle. Some say that a number of new faces will be drafted into the cabinet with strong talk that Kwelagobe might make another return. It is the magic of time.