Political scientist Professor Zibani Maundeni and former DPSM director Festinah Bakwena say the BNF’s proposed cadre deployment policy Is ill-advised and a threat to Botswana’s merit-based and apolitical public service
TEFO PHEAGE
Political scientist Professor Zibani Maundeni and former Directorate of Public Service Management (DPSM) director Festinah Bakwena have criticised the Botswana National Front’s cadre deployment proposal, arguing that political affiliation should not determine appointments or promotions in Botswana’s public service.
Their criticism follows renewed debate within the Botswana National Front (BNF) over deploying party cadres to strategic positions in government departments, local authorities and state-owned enterprises following the Umbrella for Democratic Change’s (UDC) assumption of power in October 2024.
Former BNF president Otsweletse Moupo has proposed a framework for identifying suitably qualified party members for strategic positions while maintaining safeguards against nepotism and favouritism. Other party veterans have advocated a more deliberate deployment strategy to ensure that the governing party’s political programme is implemented across state institutions.
Maundeni told The Gazette that the proposal risked reversing progress towards an apolitical public service. He argued that Botswana was still recovering from political interference during the administrations of former presidents Ian Khama and Mokgweetsi Masisi.
Khama-Masisi Era
According to Maundeni, Botswana’s traditionally merit-based public service has served the country well, ensuring institutional continuity and allowing qualified citizens to compete for positions regardless of their political affiliations.
He said the system began deteriorating during the Khama and Masisi administrations, when public officers increasingly became identified with particular political camps.
“I agree that the BDP did it. It proved disastrous and toxic. Institutions collapsed,” he said.
Maundeni alleged that, after becoming president, Masisi targeted public officers perceived to be loyal to Khama, damaging some officials’ careers.
” Masisi embarked on a crusade to remove anyone who was said, alleged or even suspected to be Khama’s person and brought his own who ultimately collapsed his administration,” he said.
‘Cadre Deployment Is Favouritism’
Maundeni dismissed arguments that cadre deployment could be implemented without compromising merit, saying prioritising party members inherently disadvantages equally qualified citizens outside the governing political movement.
“Cadre deployment, in simple terms, is favouritism. What you are essentially saying is that you are going to favour your own party members for appointment. That puts those who are not politically aligned at a disadvantage, even where they may qualify,” he said.
He also cautioned against importing political practices from countries with different governance systems, citing South Africa’s experience with cadre deployment and arguing that it had failed to protect institutional effectiveness. He said countries such as China employed similar approaches within a political system designed to sustain one-party rule.
Meritocracy Under Threat
Former DPSM director Festinah Bakwena shared Maundeni’s concerns, arguing that meritocracy and political neutrality were among the founding principles of Botswana’s public service.
She said the system had allowed citizens to compete for senior positions on the strength of their qualifications and performance without having to demonstrate political allegiance.
“We heard about it during the BDP era, but only in hushed tones because the law was very clear that ours is a continuous, apolitical public service anchored on meritocracy,” she said in an interview with the Gazette.
Bakwena warned that formalising cadre deployment could create pressure on public officers to acquire membership cards of governing parties to improve their prospects of promotion and career advancement.
She recalled allegations that some officials had deliberately made their BDP membership cards visible to influential figures as a way of signalling political allegiance and gaining favour.
She further questioned the legal basis for introducing cadre deployment under the existing public-service framework, arguing that government would have to amend the relevant legislation to accommodate political considerations in appointments.