As the Cabinet returns from its retreat held this week, the Mmegi newsroom expects that Ministers will be better informed about their respective ministries.
This expectation stems from the previous session of Parliament, where several ministers appeared unprepared, fumbling in responses and lacking confidence in their statements. With the New Year underway, citizens are also eager for the Umbrella for Democratic Change-led (UDC) government to assert its authority and demonstrate its capability to deliver on promises. The 'post-election honeymoon' phase is over, and many are demanding tangible results from the party’s promises.
Notably, during parliamentary debates, some ministers struggled to align their responses with the UDC manifesto, highlighting the need for training in this area. Although the UDC is new in governance, it had pledged to fulfill certain promises within the first 100 days in office. As the deadline approaches, with the UDC in power, the public’s patience is being tested. One critical issue lingering over the government is employment creation, a key factor in the UDC's election victory, as many citizens had voiced their concerns over joblessness. Additionally, there is a growing call for ministers to improve their engagement with the media and adopt a more professional tone when addressing government matters. Critics have noted that some ministers respond to questions as if they were still in opposition, rather than acting as members of the Cabinet. When commenting on the matter, colleague Mpho Mokwape, expressed optimism that the retreat would help ministers acclimatise to the parliamentary environment and refine their approach to answering questions. "We hope that from the retreat, they will gain a clear understanding of how their ministries operate.
When addressing issues, their responses should reflect thorough research and an in-depth grasp of the challenges," Mokwape stated during an interview on Tuesday. She also emphasised the importance of ministers staying informed through regular briefings on developments and challenges within their respective ministries. She also said that well-informed ministers will be better equipped to represent their portfolios effectively, both in Parliament and to the public. Furthermore, Mokwape stated that the ministers need to know that they are representing the desires of the people and should get to work by owning up to the mistakes even of the past administration in order to move forward in advancing the economy of the country to make it work for ordinary citizens. Another Mmegi senior journalist, Mbongeni Mguni, said he hopes the Pitso empowers Cabinet ministers in terms of their ability to explain the upcoming budget to ordinary Batswana. He added that he expects some tough decisions in the budget and each ministry should take the lead to explain what this means to those under its mandate. "Also, I hope the Pitso could help ministers in boosting their engagement with the media and how to articulate policies for a broader audience,” he said.
Another journalist, Timothy Lewanika, said Cabinet must share a national roadmap and strategy that will guide medium-term development plan. He said beyond the first 100 days the nation needs a clear development roadmap and plan. “This roadmap should clearly state what is immediately achievable by the UDC government and what is the long term game plan so as to manage expectations and create investor confidence,” he said. He further shared that in other countries, leaders in their first 100 days share a development map that guides the public service and private sector on how the country will operate going forward. “When you look at nations like China, leaders such as Xi Jiping were clear on the liberalisation roadmap, along the likes of Mao Zedong with the great leap forward. Whether this policies were effective or not is another debate.
However, it is important to have a clear roadmap,” he said. Meanwhile, political commentator, Solly Rakgomo, expressed that Cabinet ministers are now expected to conduct thorough research when responding to questions. For instance, he emphasised that they should substantiate their answers with accurate data and figures whenever necessary. “This is crucial for them,” Rakgomo stated. He referenced a recent incident where Nono Kgafela-Mokoka responded to a question claiming that most primary school teachers had been paid their dues for marking and invigilation, leaving only a few unpaid. However, it was later revealed that a significant number of teachers had not been compensated, prompting an apology from the Botswana Examination Council Rakgomo also highlighted the need for reflection on the process of appointing senior public officials, such as the Permanent Secretary to the President (PSP), private secretaries, permanent secretaries, and directors-general.
He questioned, “How long will they continue to rely on technocrats associated with a failed regime? Moreover, how will they manage their replacements to avoid unnecessary controversies, such as lawsuits?” In addition, Rakgomo stressed the importance of the Cabinet providing clear plans for accelerating economic recovery to fulfill their promises, including a P4, 000 living wage, P1, 800 for pensioners, and P2, 500 allowance for students. He further urged introspection on improving the quality and integrity of public institutions such as the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC), the Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS), and the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to rebuild public trust.