The Ministry of Trade and Entrepreneurship has moved to announce new faces to lead its parastatals, the Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA), the Local Enterprise Authority (LEA), the Companies and Intellectual Property Authority (CIPA), and the Botswana Development Corporation (BDC).
This follows the long-awaited major shake-up at State Owned Enterprises (SOE), a move accelerated by the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme (BETP).
In a press statement released this morning the Ministry announced the appointment of Oteng Keabetswe as the Managing Director of BDC, a position most recently held by Benedicta Abosi who was acting MD from April 1, 2025.
The new CEO of the troubled CEDA is Khalala Mokefane replacing Thabo Thamane, who was serving a suspension following allegations of corruption. Thamane and the agency have denied all accusations.
CIPA will now be under the stewardship of Godfrey Molefe as the new Registrar-General whilst LEA (where Molefe previously led) will now be captained by Thato Jenson.
“The appointments form part of government’s commitment to accelerate the implementation of the BETP, which aims to diversify the national economy, promote citizen economic empowerment, and improve service delivery through high-end performing institutions,” the statement reads.
Previously, President Duma Boko pronounced that there would be big changes within SOEs.
“We shall undertake a re-organisation of many of our institutions. We shall do so not recklessly nor haphazardly. To undo and repair damage done to our intuitions can’t be attained in an instant. We must focus on what is right not what is easy and convenient,” Boko said.
He added: “Most of our SOEs have underperformed and continue to be a burden on government. “This state is unacceptable. In the past, appointments were not on merit and competence but on affiliation. This has been a problem and that is why we must focus on merit in our appointment.”
According to Boko, most SOEs will be reviewed with some enhanced mandates.
