Efforts are ongoing to substantially beef the security detail of President Mokgweetsi Masisi after intelligence picked growing direct threats on him, Sunday Standard has leant.
This was found after an audit revealed that many in the president’s security detail were young, inexperienced and generally not sufficiently trained for the task at hand.
According to information, the efforts to enhance the president’s security will include recruiting retired members of the Special Forces that used to serve at the Botswana Defence Force.
A senior official who talked to Sunday Standard on condition of anonymity said the old members of the Special Forces were chosen for their intense experience and also proven loyalty not to an individual but to the State.
“Over the recent years we have seen discernible deterioration in discipline among security forces across the board. There has also been a drop in standards in training across the board,” he said.
He said it has been a long time since there had been rigorous training among many of the arms of security.
While this piece of fact is apparently well known within the armed forces sector which and is said to be also causing divisions between the junior and senior ranks, it will come as a great concern to members of the public.
The alleged threats pertaining to presidential security are a combination of domestic and international origins.
Apparently since coming into office, Masisi has mounted a protracted fight against drugs coming into Botswana.
This has earned him the wrath of drug lords as well as their local collaborators, some of who include the country’s elite.
The country’s growing drug market according to the security official is controlled by Serbians with known links to the Mozambiquen underworld many of are hired gunmen.
“The Serbians are the most ruthless of these organized gangs. We have been able to substantially close their drugs routes from South Africa. Indications are that they are now looking at entering Botswana through Maun International Airport, especially flying in from Uganda where they have a strong presence,” he continued.
The same official said beefing up the president’s security cannot entirely be detached from brewing political scenario inside the country where the president is at odds with the former president.
There have also been reports indicating possibility of divisions at the intelligence agency with some operatives said to be still loyal to a former head who was sacked by President Masisi.