Stopping a cycle of cronyism and cadre deployment
Lewanika Timothy | Monday November 11, 2024 16:48
For many eons, the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) was a kitchen master that served a pot of tenders and government appointments to those loyal and faithful to its ideals and leaders. Shoeshine boys and girls benefited from a system of cronyism where those in power provided benefits and favours to close friends and political allies, often without regard for merit or qualifications.
At most times, the only qualification one needed was to be a self-declared bootlicker and it would be a given that they were going to bask in the warmth of favours from those at the echelons of power. But as the Buddhists say, no state of being is permanent.
Former president Mokgweetsi Masisi said it more emphatically when he confessed to being a bootlicker in a video that went viral before his ascension to the highest office in the land. Setting the record straight that he has ascended to his position through being a docile loyalist to his former master, even though he would later deny uttering these words during a presidential debate in 2019.
President Duma Boko, while recently addressing the members of the media at the mass media centre in Gaborone, shared unprovoked his infatuation with a meritocracy-led government, one that disregards political affiliation and thrives on meritocracy as an appointment criterion. “In fact when there is a BNF member and a BDP member I would prefer to hire a BDP member because it will be easy for me to fire them, there is no need to respect friendship” he said.
Addressing top civil servants this week in Gaborone, Boko reiterated the need for his government to work on the principle of meritocracy. Spelling the dawn of a new era in government that will break the cycle of undue appointments and favours.
“Let merit speak for each one of us, and let us do the best for our country. Merit doesn’t care whether you are my friend or not, merit doesn’t care whether I like you or not or whether we have said nasty things about each other, merit requires the best,” he said. Cronyism has been lurching in the corridors of the BDP with a band of yes-sir men and women who have always surrounded the BDP head honcho to gain undue favours. A galaxy of shoeshine minions around a leader, who is the sun to his faithful subjects.
Precedence was, however, set by those that came before the past administration, under the regime of former President Ketumile Quett Masire who held the fort from 1980-1998. Wealthy business people with close ties to the BDP, including members of the political elite, began benefitting from government contracts and mining concessions as the country’s diamond mining was expanding.
Major scandals included allegations regarding preferential treatment in land allocations, often benefiting BDP affiliates and government officials. The Motor Vehicle Accident Fund (MVA), established to support accident victims, faced accusations of fund mismanagement, with claims that resources were diverted to individuals connected to the BDP. Under President Festus Mogae’s regime, the plague continued with the Water Utilities Corporation tenders raising eyebrows about the misappropriation of funds and irregular contract awards to companies linked to political figures. Highlighting weaknesses in transparency, as allegations of inflated costs and unaccounted spending grew.
The rot further worsened under the watch of President Ian Khama who was the top man from 2008-2018. His brainchild, the Directorate of Intelligence and Security Services (DISS) became a tool for cadre deployment, with key appointments like Isaac Kgosi a long-term ally to support the administration’s political agenda.
Cronyism under Khama escalated owing to his life as a soldier and commander of the Botswana Defense Force (BDF). In the military, commissioned officers were assigned a Batman which is a personal servant and assistant. They acted as runners to convey orders from the officers, as drivers, as valets, maintaining the officer’s uniform and had various other roles. It was seen as a good role because Batmen were often given better rations and favours from their officers! Batmen often followed their officers into later civilian life as domestic servants.
Under Khama’s rule, the Batman culture soared, those who were closer to the centre of power were the most admired in society. Getting close to the centre of power was the closest bet one had at rising to the echelons of civil society power.
Those in the inner circle or cronies would later allegedly benefit from security-related contracts and lucrative infrastructure deals for companies aligned with Khama’s allies. The National Petroleum Fund (NPF) scandal remained one of the most worrying corruption scandals in Botswana with around P250 million wasting unaccounted for, with funds reportedly funnelled to the BDP affiliates and Khama’s political allies.
President Mokgweetsi Masisi attempted to distance himself from Khama’s faction, but loyalists to his administration have nonetheless benefitted from being in the government’s good books. Some BDP members who pledged allegiance to Masisi, especially those who severed ties with Khama, gained top political positions. COVID-19 procurement contracts, and key appointments in parastatals and government bodies as Masisi worked to solidify his support within the BDP.
Cronyism has in the past extended to the Botswana business landscape. Astute businesspersons who have in the past poured millions into the BDP campaigns have benefited from large government contracts in various industries.
These individuals have benefited handsomely from government contracts, first because they were card-carrying members and second because they were generous donors of the party that kept it financially well-oiled.