It’s troubling, however, that those pursued by this craft busting agency and other security organs, are seemingly individuals who are supposed to be providing exemplary leadership. The alleged culprits are also mainly ex-Cabinet members associated with the previous ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) while others are former senior public officers. This whole development creates an appetite for the enforcement of the Declaration of Assets and Liabilities Act, which was enacted into law to monitor and bring to book those who have accumulated wealth illegally. For the longest time, it seems, attention had been deliberately removed from monitoring those who by law were to declare their assets and liabilities. The establishment of the Ethics and Integrity Directorate was viewed as a right step. It was to amongst others closely monitor the interests, income, assets and liabilities of certain persons for the purposes of preventing and detecting corruption, money laundering and the acquisition of property from proceeds of any other offence, and for matters related therewith or incidental thereto.
We call upon the government of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) to do the needful and alter the status quo. The new administration should do things differently and not be like the former BDP-led government that cared less to enforce the law on declaration of assets and liabilities.
