One Professor from Mmadikolo recently asked me, so Thabo, now that Tshetlha will be stepping down, what would you say it is his legacy? what is that you will miss about him?.
I looked at the Professor and responded, “honestly NOTHING Prof, absolutely nothing.”
But what I will miss more are the members of KFC (Khama Fan Club), noticeably two prominent BDP number one clowns, that Mampara from Take no Time. An ex- soldier, who served as a junior officer in the Botswana Defense Force, who immediately after Khama ascended to Presidency behaved like someone who’s had some brain transplant thus becoming an instant genius. A mere repository of flattery who previously had turned himself into a one person BDP propaganda machine, believing he could easily graduate from being a lorry driver into a political celebrity.
I will also miss some over excited Momba, a Mokalaka wa Mongwato millionaire rich pretender, who always has his trousers dressed up to his chest. An uncontrollable, un-cultured playboy always behaving like a recycled teenager, with no morals and ethical principles, one with an extremely un-controllable libido – an overdraft millionaire, who loves to name drop and would do everything for money.
Long before I had lost an appetite to write on Tshetlha and his policy responses, I had opined in the Sunday Standard of the 15th November 2009, that his Me Nice Attitude, will make him attract all sorts of characters, who will pretend to love him. That they will sing praise songs in chorus and that some will shout on top of their voices That sadly has been the case, in the last 10 years. Reality check is just about to sink in now for Tshetlha that he fantasized a lot and imagined a lot of stuff that to the extent of thinking he was a “Lepako”, an un-breakable tough log, but without power, Tshetlha will just be a mere mortal.
In reading this piece, members of KFC as well as BDP drama queens, must not dare think I am speaking diatribe, I love my country Botswana and I am a very patriotic citizen. They however, must be warned to take off their rose-colored glasses and must not prostitute themselves to Sissy Boy for the love of money and attention seeking stunts.
Sissy be warned my beloved President. We love you all and we shall all support you. Now it is time to rebuild the economy for the benefit of all and you must not hesitate to deal with the thieves, no un-necessary extension of contracts and ensure that there is immediate need to de-militarize the civil service. Many are overwhelmed with joy that the military junta is finally going and that it is now back to the civil rule.
You should be your own man Sissy.
For the past years that he has been at the helm President Ian Khama has been running the country with a firm hand. Since assuming office Khama’s leadership style has been very unique, sort of withdrawn and detached. As a result of this, there has been a mixed bag of reactions towards his style of leadership. Some say he that he is a reluctant President who shies away from being engaged on debates, avoids media, and is a threat to democracy, a schemer who prefers to work closely with a cabal of friends and close family members.
His critics were a constant thorn on him and had argued that President Ian Khama had traits of an autocratic leader where democracy and human rights were trampled upon and dissenters harassed, victimized and hunted down. In support of their arguments his critics joined the dots and found a pattern that included state sponsored victimization and imperialist style of leadership.
Since assuming highest political office, President Ian Khama has been accused by his critics as a paranoid, selfish, self centered and egocentric psychopath more or less the same as America’s Donald Trump. Where there was a specter of autocratic nostalgia, characterized by some false pretentious claims of being the best.
Despite the criticism that Ian Khama attracted domestically, at international level he remained a figure that seemed to fascinate many people. However, with the way things that evolved in the country, it is clear that interest groups and civil society co-opting democratic institutions, average citizens are desperate for a secular savior, who will put an end to the dysfunction and insensitivity of everyday politics. Sissy Boy, appears just to be the perfect fit for the opposition political movement is in a state of paralysis to the extent that they even go to the extent of fielding some political tsotsi in Kgatleng East bye elections, an alleged wash washa ponzi scheme con man with illusions of grandeur.
When he first assumed political office on April fool day in 2008, President Ian Khama promised decisive single minded leadership to address Botswana’s greatest challenges and promised new policy reforms and transformational style of leadership. As to whether Khama has been able to translate his blue print milestone into reality is a matter of discussion for another day. But the writing is clear on the wall. There has been complete departure from his promises that even he Khama is in a complete state of confusion. He completely mis-understood the script of his 2008 April fool day speech.
Under the leadership of President Ian Khama, one cannot deny that the myth of autocratic miracle is responsible for the contagion of strong man syndrome where endemic corruption, lack of inclusive growth and policy paralysis has certainly contributed to the gathering storm, to the extent that some of his trusted men are alleged or rumored to have taken banking to another level – with the introduction of “Dust Bin banking” and alleged
attempted allocation of some land to a British Billionaire. All these undermine the old political cloud that Botswana has been exposed to or rather known to be. Hence his critics submit that he is corrupt to the core.
In the studies of Public Policy we term Khama’s presidential actions as “Political abracadabra” the more you look, the less you see.
You are told today that democracy is the answer, the next day you are told it is alien, it has to be controlled and you have to wait for THE BIG MAN to approve when you can practice democracy. In Botswana we have seen enough of politics of illusion and the arrogance of power, power that should belong to the people but now appropriated and privatized by BIG BROTHER and his jingoists or cabal of crooks, arrogant and extremely pompous deceitful cabinet ministers as well as some Khama fanatics. Some of these Ministers are simply not cabinet material and are mere beneficiaries of the Khama’s lotto system of appointments into cabinet.
The question, however, is: Are autocracies or disciplinarians as evidenced by Ian Khama style of leadership a superior models of governance, especially in the 21st century? What is instead needed is a new “Progressive Era” of systematic reform towards establishment of a genuine democracy and robust state institutions, which can cope with the vicissitudes of globalization and complex 21st century governance challenges.
The Ian Khama administration was full of empty promises, throwing money at problems, high youth un-employment of graduates’ etc etc and grand style exit by holding some stage managed conference on poverty eradication whereas relevant institutions that matter, those that are responsible for poverty eradication processes from agenda setting to the last stage of evaluation inclusive of analysis nor academia were nowhere to be seen at the conference.
To put things into perspective, when President Ian Khama came into power in 2008, he promised to take Botswana to greater heights by making it great.
However, things turned out not as promised, as the bureaucracy was harassed with many permanent secretaries, directors either suspended or out rightly fired. There was and has been complete madness and confusion with partisan politics and patriotism taking centre stage.
While Khama must be applauded for his poverty eradication drive, it is worth noting that after a decade holding fort he steps down as a complete failure as the country is still marred by widespread poverty.
President Ian Khama has ended up relying on greedy cronies who only care about their own interests, as well as some misguided economists. Since he fantasizes a lot on philanthropy and as a caregiver, it is advisable he forms an NGO and or go back to school and take refresher courses on planning and implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation to help him manage his kill from the Tlatsa Lesaka national exit tour campaign.
*Thabo Lucas Seleke writes from Seleme Farm, Rasesa
