Botswana has lost touch with the rest of the world in so far as good governance is concerned, University of Botswana professor in political science, Zibane Maundeni told Sunday Standard.
Maundeni said it is a matter of concern that people who are facing serious criminal charges are still in top government posts whilst they are at the same time appearing in courts of law.
“This does not happen in any country that regards itself as being democratic in the world,” he said.
Good governance as recognised globally requires leaders facing criminal charges to resign their posts in order to clear their names, Maundeni said.
Only in the event that the courts clears them of the criminal charges may they be re-appointed, he said.
“This is the current trend practiced around the world,” Maundeni said. “I do not see any reason why we have discarded it to the current trend which speaks volumes against good governance.”
In the past, even Members of Parliament and Ministers who were facing charges, allegations or whose names were tainted by scandal would resign, the UB political scientist said.
Maundeni however declined to mention names or refer to specific cases.
His sentiments come at a time that members of the public and other political commentators are speaking against instances like that of acting Minister of Education and Skills Development, Vincent Seretse, currently facing corruption charges whilst at the same time holding cabinet portfolios.
In addition to Seretse, current Ministers of Finance and Development Planning, Kenneth Mathambo, and Minister of Defence, Justice and Security, Ndelu Seretse also faced criminal charges whilst they remained in cabinet though they were discharged and acquitted in the end.
Currently, there are serious corruption allegations made against the country’s spy chief, Isaac Kgosi, but he too still remains in office.
