In exactly five weeks the Vice President Mokgweetsi Masisi will ascend to presidency of this country, replacing the outgoing President Ian Khama ÔÇô this is actually old news but imminent nonetheless.
Amongst top of expectations that Batswana have on Masisi, is to bring an end to corruption that is visible to even the blind in this country.
Just to take one or two steps back, when he became President in April 2008, Khama’s speech emphasised of how the days of business as usual at government enclave had come to an end. Top among his priorities was to get the civil service in order and by that we had all thought he had also realized how institutionalized corruption in this country had become.
From what we have been hearing, what we have gathered, and what has been published in newspapers over the past decade, it seems corruption has taken root and requires ruthlessness.
From where we stand, during his presidency, Khama allowed politicization of top civil service which on its own is corruption. The days when the civil service in Botswana was renowned for its impartiality have long passed us. But we need to bring them back.
As such, on issues relating to corruption in country, Masisi, as the president-in waiting should demonstrate strong leadership by removing all top dogs that have been mentioned in the same line with the word corruption as soon as he ascend.
It will be very hard for him but its necessary and good for both Masisi’s legacy and to a larger extend the country. If anyone feels the exercise is unnecessary or will disturb government business, they should explain how as a nation we can fight corruption, if we let corrupt people hold key positions that need to drive our economic and social growth.
As it stands, there is no doubt that our country needs to fight corruption and this cancer should not be the responsibility of just one man. Masisi should in his aspirations (if he has any) to end corruption psyche up the entire nation to fight corruption wherever it rears its head.
This he can only be successful if Masisi can “fire” some of the old time-looters at the government enclave ÔÇô most of which are members of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP).
Perhaps it is prudent to look at the definition of corruption so we can appreciate what it is about. In the past decade or so, certain malpractices in our country have almost become normal and considered legitimate and yet they are not.
Some scholars define corruption as illegitimate use of power to benefit a private interest (Morris 1991).
Another researcher Ozochukwu posits that corruption is the giving of bribe by a person to an official so that the truth will not be told. It involves the embezzlement of public funds for personal use.
Indeed the effects of corruption to Botswana socio-economic development are well documented. So many cases, involving highly ranked officials have been highlighted over the Khama years, while some have been swept under the carpet, we are made to believe, but the perpetrators in most instances have remained untouched. This has caused a lot of damage and that is the damage that as new President, Masisi should undo if he is to win the hearts of the many jobless, landless and moneyless Batswana.
