Pandemics and crises demand decisive leadership

President Masisi PIC. THALEFANG CHARLES
President Masisi PIC. THALEFANG CHARLES

President Mokgweetsi Masisi may have just dealt the first blow to his credibility and possibly his legacy. How he handles the COVID-19 crisis will set the tone for his administration’s crisis management capabilities.

After his administration-imposed travel restrictions on all official government travels, the President defied his own administration’s move to contain the spread of the coronavirus and travelled to Namibia for President Hage Geingob’s inauguration.

The COVID-19 outbreak has turned out to be an extremely politicised crisis of grave scale. The justification behind the ‘emergency trip’ to Namibia was insufficient and at most, a grave miscalculation on the part of the presidency.

Editor's Comment
Botswana at a critical juncture

While the political shift brings hope for change, it also places immense pressure on the new administration to deliver on its election promises in the face of serious economic challenges.On another level, newly appointed Finance Minister Ndaba Gaolathe’s grim assessment of the country’s finances adds urgency to the moment. The budget deficit, expected to be P8.7 billion, is now anticipated to be even higher due to underperforming diamond...

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