Africa-Press – Botswana. The President says ministers have complained to him about civil servants stalling his government’s transformation drive.
President Duma Boko has raised alarm over what he described as a rift between some of his cabinet ministers and senior civil servants and accused certain Permanent Secretaries (PSs) and high-ranking officials of sabotaging his administration’s agenda.
Speaking at a high-level meeting with senior government officials in Gaborone yesterday, Boko said some ministers have repeatedly approached him with complaints of non-cooperation from the bureaucratic elite.
“Some ministers come to me to report some of you, accusing you of stalling and sabotaging their efforts to implement our agenda,” he said with a stern expression on his face.
“We want merit”
The President warned the officials that the public is also watching closely, with calls growing louder for the removal of underperforming or uncooperative officers.
“Your only escape route is to deliver and prove why we have to keep you. We want merit,” said the President, making it clear that continued employment and renewal of contracts will be based on performance.
Boko’s remarks come amid sustained pressure from within his party to replace senior government officials retained from the previous administration with loyalists.
Institutional stability
While he has so far resisted these demands, preferring continuity and institutional stability, critics have persisted that retaining officials from the past government may undermine his presidency.
“There is a real concern from our people that by keeping individuals who served under the former administration, we are setting ourselves up for failure,” a senior party insider told this publication reflecting this concern that is also shared by sections of the public.
In his address, Boko called on the civil servants to be agile and responsive to the needs of Batswana, instead of becoming barriers to progress. “We are here to facilitate people’s dreams for a better Botswana, not to be obstacles,” he emphasised.
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