The unfolding news at the Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) reveals that the acting BIUST Council Chairman, Boyce Sebetela has reversed expulsion of Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration, Godfrey Molefe.
News reaching The Telegraph is that Molefe was earlier on expelled from BIUST by founding Vice Chancellor Professor Kweku Bentil. Upon appeal to the then BIUST Council his expulsion was commuted to a final warning. Molefe was then put on suspension by subsequent BIUST Vice Chancellor Professor Hillary Iyang pending investigations.
It emerges that his suspension was cancelled after Sebetela ordered a stoppage of investigations on alleged acts of misconduct by Molefe and two other BIUST staff members. After ordering the stoppage of investigations Sebetela then presided on a process that led to a promotion of two staff members including Molefe .
In a letter that the current Acting Vice Chancellor Professor Denis Siginer recently wrote to Sebetela he warned against constant attempts by the Board to micromanage BIUST by frequently by-passing his office (Siginer Office) and using the acting Deputy Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration, Molefe as a proxy to take actions without first discussing with the acting Vice Chancellor. Siginer sees this as efforts to undermine his authority.
“The hostile and disrespectful attitude of Mr Molefe whom you asked me to elevate to the position of acting Deputy Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration, opposing strenuously and stridently any action I propose and issuing orders to different units within BIUST without consulting the acting Vice Chancellor including academic units is unprofessional,” the letter reads.
Siginer’s letter also highlighted some of the complaints that were raised by the former Vice Chancellor Hillary Iyang when he resigned. All the accusing fingers point towards Sebetela. He is being accused of meddling in the affairs of the university and making it ungovernable.
Reached for comment Sebetela said he is a board member and is as such not empowered to talk to the media. “I explained so many times that I am a board member and as a board member I cannot talk to media. The CEO is responsible to talk to the media or a person assigned for media,” he said. Molefe and BIUST Director of Communications and Public Affairs, Shakie Kebaswele were not available for comment.
