With US President Donald Trump’s second administration having wasted little time in testing the boundaries of executive authority, many expected President Boko to show his presidential prowess with a series of executive orders in the first 100 days. As a new government took over after 58 years of Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) rule, many expected heads to start rolling with multiple senior officials fired, reassigned, or even designated to be laid off. With the government change from red to blue, some expected some un-elected bureaucrats who served under the previous administration to be axed. The expectation was that even non-political employees who serve in senior positions should have been sent home right away to allow the new administration to review staffing as it aligns the UDC’s priorities. They believed that top positions should be staffed with people who support Boko’s goals. Some also felt that politically appointed diplomats who have been favoured ahead of senior career diplomats should also face the exit door. But Boko has not yet fired any of the many politically appointed diplomats so far. Critics, however, opined that the mass firing of political appointees across government would be a waste of taxpayers' money and would not improve the day-to-day lives of Batswana who voted for the UDC. They argue that rushed moves could end up raising legal and constitutional questions that could take years to be fully resolved.
They feel that an aggressive approach similar to what Trump is doing in the US will create chaos rather than fix the problems Boko was elected to solve. They further said it could instead cut deeper national divides and unleash pain for the people who elected him. They said for a nation that already has an unemployment crisis, removing everyone labelled BDP could also spike job losses. After taking over from the BDP, the UDC leaders are said to have realised that dismantling the old order government could also turn out to be dangerous. For a party that inherited empty coffers, a clean sweep could be expensive since it involves releasing high-earning officials from their contracts. It is said that Boko knows that changing everything at a lightning pace could pose political and economic risks. While some UDC supporters demand the wielding of vast executive power to show that the coalition has arrived, leaders are fearful that it could come across as an overreach that ignores voters’ most pressing concerns such as unemployment and underemployment. Just like it happened with former president Mokgweetsi Masisi when he took over from Ian Khama in 2018, a changeover in government is normal when a new administration comes into power. Just like Masisi fired the late former DIS Director General (DG) Isaac Kgosi and former government spokesperson Dr Jeff Ramsey in 2018, presidents regularly dismiss appointees selected by predecessors. But the UDC supporters are shocked that Boko is still keeping seniors from the previous administration such as the current DIS DG Peter Magosi ad Permanent Secretary to the President (PSP) Emma Peloetletse, just to name but a few.
Those who are of the different view are somehow irritated that President Boko has not exactly implemented sweeping changes in the 100 days of his administration, which ends on February 9. Since this is something he can push through by himself, without help from Parliament and interference from the courts, critics wonder why Boko has not wielded his big axe yet. Boko has not exactly enacted a comprehensive agenda to reshape his government, except by saying in his inaugural address that there will be ‘rigorous cost-cutting’ and that a forensic audit will be conducted. With the UDC having promised to do a forensic audit, some had expected that up to now he would have started removing rogue bureaucrats and cleaning out all of the corrupt actors in government. Boko still has a lot to please voters marginalised by the economy. But some of the latter are vexed that many key political appointments remain in the hands of the BDP members. They feel that Boko should remove these unelected bureaucrats who have the potential to thwart his presidency. They complain that Boko is still running the government with bureaucrats who are still loyal and sympathetic to Masisi. They say that President Boko should refuse to bend the knee to the BDP oligarchy. They also say that a quick cleansing of government could get Boko’s new administration off to an active start after 100 days. With the UDC eager to establish its authority, Boko has, however, already made recognisable changes at the top.
Appointments
Gaolapelwe Ketlogetswe (CJ) On January 18, 2025, President Boko officially appointed Justice Gaolapelwe ‘Gee’ Ketlogetswe as the new Chief Justice (CJ). The appointment was followed by a formal swearing-in ceremony, marking the beginning of Justice Ketlogetswe's tenure as the head of the Judiciary.
Aobakwe Monamo (DIS Deputy DG) Last December, attorney Aobakwe Monamo, was appointed as Deputy Director General of the Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS).
Dr Botswiri Tsheko (Chief of Staff) Boko appointed Dr Botswiri Oupa Tsheko to the coveted and most influential position of Chief of Staff in November after Lephimotswe Sebetlela’s exit. Dr Tsheko is a macroeconomist and international trade policy guru.
Emang Bokhutlo-Mutapati (Press Secretary) Former The Voice Newspaper Editor and chairperson of the Editors forum, Emang Bokhutlo-Mutapati was last November appointed as Press Secretary to the president.
Suspensions and exits
Terence Rannowane Former Chief Justice of the High Court, Terrence Rannowane, officially resigned from his top post on medical grounds last month. But indications are that he was pushed out. Boyce Sebetela Former Minister and Member of Parliament for Palapye, Boyce Lephimotswe Sebetela, who was appointed the country's inaugural Chief of Staff in 2021, left the position in November last year. Kgang Kgang The Kweneng Land Board chairperson and president of the Botswana Tribal Land Authority (BATLA), Kgang Kgang, has been suspended for alleged abuse of office pending investigations. Thabo Thamane Thabo Thamane, the CEO of Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA), was suspended last month to allow those who will be doing the impending forensic audit at CEDA an opportunity to do their work without any ‘disturbance.” Masego Mosate Masego Mosate’s days were numbered after the UDC victory in October. Mosate was appointed Senior Private Secretary to the President in the Ministry for State President in 2021. She was deployed to the Mass Media abut before she could assume her new role, she was diverted to former president Masisi’s office.
