Assistant Minister of Agriculture Beauty Manake has reportedly tossed corporate governance rules out the window in a desperate bid to squeeze Leonard Morakaladi into the vacant Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) top job.
Information reaching Sunday Standard suggests the Assistant Minister may have abused her powers to sneak Morakaladi into the list of applicants for the chief executive officer (CEO) position despite the latter having failed to apply for the vacancy.
Morakaladi reportedly set for an interview on Tuesday October 5, 2021, effectively joining the list of possible candidates despite having missed a June 22, 2021 deadline for applications.
Manake is alleged to have instructed Acting Permanent Secretary Letlhogile Modisa to write a letter to BMC Board Director Boyce Mohutsiwa requesting that Morakaladi be included in the list of interviewees for the job.
The letter, a copy of which Sunday Standard has in possession, reads “The …request is made for the submission of Mr Leonard Morakaladi for interview in your current list of interviewees for position of Chief Executive Officer at BMC.”
The Permanent Secretary even goes further to wax lyrical about Morakaladi’s ‘successful’ exploits as head of Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board (BAMB).
“Mr Morakaladi is a former Chief Executive Officer at BAMB and is a diligent manager who was able to turn around the fortunes of BAMB within a short period of time.” Evidence indicates Morakaladi set for an interview two days before the official request by the PS, which letter is dated October 7, 2021. The BMC Board of Directors, Sunday Standard has been informed, had demanded that the Assistant Minister make a written request for record purposes, which explains why Morakaladi may have sat for an interview two days prior to the letter.
The former BAMB CEO’s inclusion effectively gives an unfair competition to candidates who met the June 2021 deadline for submission of applications.
Speaking to Sunday Standard this past Friday Manake has denied playing any part in BMC’s recruitment exercise. “It is the Board that recommends a candidate to the minister, not the other way round,” she said. “Even if the minister may have a preferred candidate for the job the final decision lies with Cabinet.” She said she was waiting for the Board to wrap up their recruitment exercise and hopes the BMC will have a CEO soon.
Unconfirmed reports also say Manake had made an unsuccessful attempt to re-hire Morakaladi to the BAMB top post which he left earlier this year following the Board’s refusal to extend his contract.
Former BAMB Board Chairperson Dr Gloria Somolekae had reportedly been open to extending Morakaladi’s contract before leaving but her acting successor would have none of it.
BAMB Human Resources Committee had recommended extension following review of employment on fixed term contract for CEO.
“Reference is made to the revised BAMB Conditions of service approved by the Board of Directors on the 18th July 2019. The Board revised the employment on a fixed term contract for the Chief executive officer from three (3) to five (5) year term. Therefore, I recommend that the current CEO’s contract of employment be revised to run for five years ending 4th March 2023 instead of 4th March 2021,” read a letter from the Committee chairperson.
Following a failed attempt to get Morakaladi the BAMB job Assistant Manake is reportedly pulling all strings to secure him the BMC vacancy.
Manake’s senior, Minister Karabo Gare, is reportedly on medical leave. Sunday Standard is informed this is not the first time that the Assistant Minister has attempted to force a candidate down the BMC throat. Manake had reportedly attempted to reinstate former BMC CEO Dr. Akolang Tombale but was turned down by former boss Dr. Edwin Dikoloti.
BMC have been without a substantive CEO since the departure of Tombale in 2018. Dr. Boitumelo Maseko was controversially released from her role as acting CEO in March this year, leaving the company with no CEO at all.
The company were recently turned away by the Parliamentary Committee on Statutory Bodies and State Enterprises for not having an accounting officer (CEO). BMC’s Chief Strategy Officer Brian Dioka would not discuss their recruitment process saying “the BMC is currently not in any position to offer a response on this matter beyond what is stated as law, but also since it is a matter beyond its authority.”
The BMC Act stipulates the CEO’s appointment shall be carried out by the minister.
