The Botswana National Youth Council has suspended acting Chief Executive Officer Thina Molatlhegi in the latest installment of the marathon power struggle between the council board and management.
Two months ago, the BNYC board was at loggerheads with its Secretariat over transfer notices. Hardly a month after the bruising tussle, BNYC board has now suspended Molathegi, pending an inquiry into charges against her.
Insiders however read a sinister motive into the move: That it is a sleight of hand to elbow Nolatlhegi out of the race for the vacant post of Executive Secretary, which she has applied for.
A letter leaked to The Sunday Standard reveals that Molatlhegi who has been acting CEO for a month, is accused of failing to “honour the chairperson’s request to provide reports and other crucial materials.”
She has also been accused of failing to convene a meeting between BNYC management staff and the board, as well as failing to provide the executive committee with a copy of the BNYC mid-year report.
Molathegi is also accused of failing to make inventory registration of all BNYC fixed assets, with the help of board members Tshiamo Rantao and Batsho Nthoi.Other reports include the progress of the District Youth Council offices and Botswana National Youth council affiliates.
“In addition the Office of the Chairperson has observed that your office decided to submit the financial report to the Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs before it could be perused by the Chairperson and the Executive Committee,” reads part of the letter.
For the past weeks since the departure of Former Executive Director, Falcon Sedimo, and allegations of abuse of office by chairperson, Elius Rantleru and his Secretary General, Chomi Letlole, BNYC has never known peace.
The duo is alleged to have opened and short listed applications for the vacant post of director without the authority of the board and in the absence of the Executive Secretary.
When Contacted about her suspension, Molatlhegi said as far as she was concerned, she had been suspended by two individuals and not by the board.
“I have been suspended by Mr Rantleru, the chairperson, and Mr Letlole, the secretary general,” said Molathegi. “As far as I know only the board can suspend me from office and, as the board secretary, what I know is that the board has not met.”
Molathegi said that the current storm between the board and management was acting as a counter productive force as it was derailing coordination of projects, distracting the organization out of focus.
She accused some people in the board of courting disaster by deliberately advancing personal interests instead of catering for youth interests.
“I have written a letter to the chairperson informing her of my position against the suspension. We have to rise above these conflicts and ego clashes if we are to lead the youth who are looking up to us,” she said.
Molathegi said although she would not want to find herself entangled in a legal battle, the situation and relationship between management and the board needed legal intervention. The board Secretary has since written a letter to vice president Ian Khama to intervene in the BNYC storm in which minister Pheto is accused of meddling.
