25 January 2008
editorial
Gaborone — At long last somebody got Vice-President Ian Khama talking. While we can neither vouch for the veracity of the mid-week newspaper's speculative stories and the VP's subsequent denials, we nevertheless are gratified that the president-in-waiting has finally commented publicly on some aspects of his preordained administration.
In a purported interview with the state newspaper, Khama reportedly denied The Botswana Gazette speculation that he is to replace the permanent secretary to the president (PSP) with an army officer.
"As far as I am concerned, the PSP will continue to be PSP. I have confidence in him and I will be happy to continue with him," Khama is reported as saying. Through that report we also learnt that Khama would consider cabinet appointments during the last week of March. "That is the timeline I have given myself during which I will be taking time to consider who will be in cabinet". We also learnt that Khama's administration will be "frugal" with state resources. For instance, he promises to buy "cost-effective" vehicles for ministers.
The statement further dismissed speculation that Brigadier George Tlhalerwa will be joining the Office of the President (OP) as untrue. He also dismissed suggestions that the presidential guard will be made entirely of soldiers as well as rumours that he might order the purchase of 12 bullet-proof vehicles for the OP.
Following the publication of the "offending" articles, which Khama believes are "mischief-making intended to discredit myself," there was a flurry of responses from the Botswana Defence Force (BDF), Central Transport Organisation (CTO) general manager, and the Ministry of Works and Transport. These were buttressed later with Btv sound-bites from OP's former spin-doctor, Andrew Sesinyi, who is now deputy permanent secretary in the Ministry of Communications, Science and Technology, and an article in the Daily News. Talk of information overkill!
But Khama has nobody to blame but himself. He has long chosen to be a closed chapter to the very people he leads. His silence on major national debates has become an enigma. The local media, including this very newspaper, have requested, cajoled, and even begged Khama into dialogue with the nation. But Khama has treated such overtures with nothing but disdain. The veracity of the mid-week newspaper articles notwithstanding, at least this week we had a peek into the mindset of our soon-to-be president.
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