Botswana: Ngoma's Crimes Catch Up With Him
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Mmegi/The Reporter (Gaborone)
8 October 2008
Posted to the web 9 October 2008
Oarabile Mosikare
Francistown
Attempts by nominated councillor, Peter Ngoma, to become a headman of records in Zwenshambe have been thwarted by the Minister of Local Government, Margaret Nasha.
The minister declined to approve the appointment of the former Francistown mayor as headman of records because he has previous convictions on various offences by a magistrate.
The minister, through her Permanent Secretary Thato Raphaka, quoted Section 8 (1) of the Public Service Act CAP 26:01, which states that: 'No person who has been convicted of an offence involving moral turpitude or who has been dismissed from the public service shall be appointed to any public office without the approval of the president'. Kgosi Freda Mosojane of Mosojane has been tasked with giving direction on the matter.
Some time in June, Mosojane installed Ngoma as headman of records at the main Zwenshambe Kgotla. Ngoma in turn appointed one Moses Mabutho to act on his behalf.
The Zwenshambe headman administers three major villages, Mapoka, Masunga and Mosojane.
The first headman was elected in 1979 with Masilo Ngubalane beating Jeremiah Phusumane. Consensus was that after the retirement of Ngubalane in 2007, an election would be held again, but the villagers were surprised when Mosojane installed Ngoma.
Speaking to Mmegi, Ngoma said he was not aware that Nasha has rejected his installation. He said he talked to Mosojane, who said she was not aware of the minister's disapproval. Ngoma said the issue was not approval and recommendation.
He argued that the Zwenshambe chieftainship rightly belongs to the Chabale family. "Some people want elections of a headman of records and we are saying there is no way that can happen. The chieftainship belongs to us and we are there," says Ngoma. Efforts to reach Raphaka were futile as he was said to be on sick leave.
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Ngoma was convicted by a Francistown magistrate on his own pleas of guilty on four counts of: (a) unlawful use of a motor vehicle, (b) stealing by a person employed in the public service, (c) malicious damage to property, and (d) giving false information to a person employed in the public serve. He was sentenced on November 23, 1984 to the maximum six years in prison - three of which were conditionally suspended. Ngoma was also ordered to pay government P5,164.
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Copyright © 2008 Mmegi/The Reporter. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections -- or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
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