A farewell to good fellows

| Wednesday August 1, 2012 00:00

The Commissioner of Police Thebeyame Tsimako and the Commander of Botswana Defence Force Lieutenant General Tebogo Masire have each served for half a decade at the helm of the country's key security institutions, a time during which they conducted themselves in a professional manner even during challenging and tempting periods.

After inheriting very secretive organisations, the two gentlemen set off to open up to the public they served, more especially to us in the press. We may have differed with them on many issues regarding our two parallel lines of work, but at the end of the day, we all acknowledged that we were doing our jobs in the best interest of the public.Said Tsimako in his inaugural press conference in July 2007: 'The philosophy of a free, vibrant, informed and alert press is a necessary condition for the entrenchment of strong democratic policing principles. In an enlightened society like the one policed today, it is a foundation upon which the police base their relationship with the media.'

We hope that the new Commissioner of Police, Keabetswe Makgophe, will take a leaf from Tsimako's book and improve upon whatever shortfalls he finds to make BPS accessible to everyone - the public and the media.  We appreciate the limitations and challenges under which the police work, but communication is the best tool that can even move mountains. We also urge the new Commander of the BDF, Major General Gaolathe Galebotswe, to embrace transparency as he leads the army on the course to prosperity that has already been outlined by his predecessors. During his time as Commander, Masire made several press briefings or statements to clarify issues that were in the national interest, the best thing any leader who has respect for the people he leads can do. It would be unfortunate if his successor took us back to the dark ages of secrecy that were associated with the BDF from its inception to the time Masire took over because that did nothing to rid the army of the allegations of corruption and nepotism that had come to characterise it. In a nutshell, we wish the two gentlemen a fulfilling retirement replete with contemplation and good memories. To their successors, we say the police and the army are the uppermost instruments for the safety of life and limb and the security of sovereignty in the comity of nations that Botswana is a member of.  At the risk of sounding superfluous, we urge you to serve with unequalled diligence and disinterest. At all times, you must bear it in mind that you are as much a factor of democracy as other key institutions, including the press. Most of all, it is your duty to steer clear of politics. To that end, you will secure the safety Batswana and the security of Botswana by serving the government of the day.

                                                                Today's thought

               'Political opinions have no place in cockpit or camp or conference room.'

                     - Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, USA