The Minister of Transport and Communications Thulagano Segokgo has rejected two candidates recommended for the vacant position of chief executive officer (CEO) of Botswana Railways(BR).
The BR board had recommended two candidates who were head-hunted.
Reports reaching this publication suggest that Segokgo has rejected the two candidates without giving reasons.
Although it is not yet clear what could have led the minister to reject the names, it is understood that the Minister believed that they are not the right candidates for the job.
The chairman of BR board Adolph Hirschfeld confirmed to this publication that the board had recommended two candidates for consideration to fill the vacant post of CEO.
“The board has long written to the minister about our recommendation regarding the two candidates. I’m not sure what could have caused the delay to appoint the new CEO,” he said.
He said in the first round a good number of people applied for the position but those who were short-listed failed dismally.
He said the board had to change tact and went out to head-hunt a suitable candidate. During the head-hunting exercise, the board recommended two candidates and the names were forwarded to the minister.
In an interview with this publication Segokgo confirmed that BR board had written to him and recommended two suitable names to the ministry for consideration for the position of CEO.
“Yes, I can confirm that I have received two suggested names who can be considered to take the vacant position of a CEO. The process to scrutinise the suggested names is still underway and I am not yet sure when the process will be completed,” he said.
“The ministry is deeply worried that the position is not yet filled therefore I am working around the clock to ensure that BR gets a suitable and credible CEO who will take the organisation to higher heights,” he said.
When asked whether he has rejected the recommended candidates, he replied: “Like I already indicated earlier, the process to scrutinize those suggested candidates is still underway and when the right time to announce the CEO comes the public will be informed”.
Segokgo said that early this year a good number of people respondent positively to the advert that was floated but that the process did not yield a suitable candidate adding that “I directed the board to head-hunt for the rightful candidate.”
Asked when the passenger train will resume ferrying commuters, Segokgo revealed that it will take time for the train to be operational due to financial constrains as well as the Covid-19 pandemic.
“BR is going through financial difficulties therefore it is public knowledge that no passenger train runs at a loss and the organisation has no suitable locomotive that can run such service,” he said.
However, Gaebepe Molaudi, the president of Botswana Railways Amalgamated Workers Union, (BRAWU) accused the BR board of sleeping on the job.
“The ministry and the board long knew that they will not renew Makwinja’s contract when it comes to an end. Few weeks ago, the union met both the minister and the board and during the discussions both parties promised to speed up the process of appointing a CEO. We are still waiting for the response,” she stated. Leonard Makwinja’s three-year contract ended last December.
