The transformation of Boyce Sebetela

Hate him or love him but you cannot ignore Palapye legislator Boyce Sebetela. During his ministerial days, the MP made many enemies in the media and the opposition. He was considered heavy handed in the way he ran the Ministry of Communications, Science and Technology.


 It was during his tenure that the Daily News was controversially commercialised and took a lot of advertising from the private press. As a consequence, some newspapers went under.
 
Newspaper owners complained that government was out to starve them to death. But in Boyce Sebetela, they had a fearless opponent who ensured that government's wish prevails. The opposition complained that Sebetela presided over a broadcasting regime that gave a lot of airplay to the ruling party while the opposition was given peripheral ventilation. In Boyce Sebetela, the BDP found an avid defender.

After the 2004 general elections, President Festus Mogae caused a surprise when he did not include Sebetela in his cabinet. Except for the fly in Mogae's office nobody really knows why 'the Boyce' was left out. Over the years, Sebetela seems to have found a completely new vocation and he is enjoying himself. With aplomb, he has become a critic of the very government that he once defended staunchly. In Parliament, the Palapye legislator has proved to be a thorn in the flesh of the executive. He has been very active in holding the government to account on many issues.

Editor's Comment
Human rights are sacred

It highlights the need to protect rights such as access to clean water, education, healthcare and freedom of expression.President Duma Boko, rightly honours past interventions from securing a dignified burial for Gaoberekwe Pitseng in the CKGR to promoting linguistic inclusion. Yet, they also expose a critical truth, that a nation cannot sustainably protect its people through ad hoc acts of compassion alone.It is time for both government and the...

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