Why Khama is going to be a great president

| Friday February 22, 2008 00:00

When Khama takes over from Mogae on the 1st of April, Batswana are, like during the Q.K.J. Masire presidency, going to have a president they really like. My prediction is that Khama is going to be a people's president because of the following reasons:

His cabinet is not going to be full of incompetent ministers whose inclusion into cabinet isn't because of hard work but the ruling party's attempt to rid itself of factionalism. Khama likes results, good results. This is why I believe he is going to surround himself with a group of capable cabinet ministers who will ensure the effective implementation of government policies.

Khama is already rich. This is going to work in his and the country's favour because his term in office will not be characterised by corrupt practices and attempts at self-enrichment. Most African leaders derail their countries from desirable paths of economic growth because as soon as they assume state power, their primary objective becomes the desire to line their pockets with money from state coffers. Zaire's Mobuto is a perfect example.

Khama likes to be liked. He is going to rid his cabinet, the civil service and parastatal organisations of 'dead woods'. Once he has done this, his government will function like a well-oiled machine, a people's government that will not be characterised by the failures and scandals that have come to be associated with the current presidency (for example, the current electricity problem, the CKGR issue, and so on).

Khama keeps in touch with ordinary people. Sitting around fires at night with ordinary people, watching football games at the national stadium, etc, makes him a man of the people. This is what makes Batswana love him. He is a charismatic leader who very few people will dislike.

The only thing Khama needs to be very careful of is who he chooses as his Vice President. But this shouldn't be a problem when one considers that he has a pool of capable men and women to choose from. Jonny Swarts, Kwelagobe, Kedikilwe and Joy Phumaphi, are some of the people he can choose his Vice from. His cabinet should also include hard workers, even people who hitherto haven't been active politicians. For example, Prof Gilbert Sekgoma as Minister for Foreign Affairs, Roy Sesana (with Jumanda as his interpreter/private secretary) as minister for Local Government, Prof Thomas Tlou as Education Minister, and so on. Let's all look forward to the KHAMA presidency.

Lesego Sekgoa
GOODHOPE.