Khama demands delivery
2009-10-16 10:43
Gaborone - Critics of Botswana President Ian Khama's tough leadership style have called him a dictator, a label he shrugs off with amusement as he sets about clearing government of lazy people and bureaucracy.
The 56-year-old, vying to return to the helm of Africa's most widely praised democracy in polls on Friday, says he brings "a new way of doing things and of course the only word they can pin on me is that I am a dictator".
"What I demand is delivery from the public service and the reason I demand delivery from the public service is for the benefit of the population," Khama said on the sidelines of a final rally.
"Governments can become very bureaucratic and therefore delivery to the population slows down and you get a lot of criticism as a result ... I have demanded that things be different."
The son of Botswana's founding father took office last April when his predecessor Festus Mogae retired and immediately set about reshuffling the cabinet, firing five ministers.
Fire lazy people
"I will not hesitate to fire lazy people because they have no place in my government," he told supporters at the rally.
In his inaugural speech he announced the tenets of his government as "the four Ds: Democracy, Development, Dignity and Discipline" which critics fear come at the expense of personal liberty as he pushes through directives without consulting his ministers.
A teetotal fitness fanatic, Khama slapped a 30% tax on alcohol and has been widely criticised for the introduction of laws which increase government regulation of the media.
While Khama says he never interferes with the media's role in a democratic society, he added that he was however media-shy and "a bit reluctant to talk to the media because occasionally some of the things you say are always twisted."
While he may steer away from publicity, Khama has been vocal about human rights and democracy abuses in neighbouring Zimbabwe, garnering international approval for openly criticising President Robert Mugabe.
Unruly elements
Again breaking ranks from the regional softly-softly approach, Khama on Thursday warned that Harare's unity government was "limping along" and faced a real danger of collapsing.
Problems at home have also kept him busy and while he was co-opted into government from the defence force to ease factionalism in the ruling Botswana Democratic Party, his style has in fact deepened bitter rifts ahead of the elections.
The internecine battles heightened over his suspension of party secretary general Gomolemo Motswaledi for ill-discipline and undermining his authority.
Khama said he was determined to end the rifts in his party and "that is why I decided that we must take a stand against any unruly elements in the party that promotes factionalism".
While hailed for stability and economic growth, some 47% of Batswana live below the poverty line of $1 a day and Khama admits the greatest challenge is to reduce the dependence on diamonds and diversify the economy.
- SAPA