The Office of the President announced on Friday the appointment of retired Botswana Development Corporation managing director, Kenneth Matambo, as the Acting Minister of Finance and Development Planning, following the granting of sick leave, on full pay, extended to the incumbent minister, Baledzi Gaolathe, by President Ian Khama.
Matambo, who once worked overseas for the International Monetary Fund before returning home, was at one time appointed Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance.
He would later occupy the driver’s seat at the Botswana Development Corporation where he served for a decade until his retirement in 2008.
“The nation is hereby informed that His Excellency the President has granted the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Baledzi Gaolathe, sick leave on full pay,” reads a statement from the OP.
“Consequently, His Excellency has, in the exercise of the powers conferred upon him by Section 42(3) (1) of the Constitution as read with section 127 (6) of the Constitution, appointed Ontefetse Kenneth Matambo as the Acting Minister of Finance.”
At the time of his retirement, there were rumuors suggesting at one stage that Matambo was destined to join politics, as has always been the norm with other high profile personalities, and subsequently be roped in as a minister.
Matambo, however, stayed away from politics, only to be summoned to civil duty last week time.
Matambo’s acting appointment takes effect from August 1, 2009 and will be for a maximum period of four months, in accordance with Section 43 of the Constitution.
It is the second time an unelected individual entered the corridors of power as a cabinet minister with the incumbent president himself having gone through such a scenario.
