Khama silent on DIS bunker – Gen Mokgware

The former Commander of the Ground Forces now turned politician has added his voice to the chorus of criticism that President Ian Khama is not committed to ending the corruption besieging Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS).

Contributing to the State of  the Nation Address last week, Major General Pius Mokgware who is Member of Parliament for Gabane-Mankgodi came out strongly against what he considers excesses of the intelligence agency and said President Khama’s silence on the DIS misdeeds is astonishing. “The nation wants to know, the role of the DIS…. the DIS bunker and its purpose. Why was it built without the knowledge of Botswana Defence Force (BDF)? Is that not making it a national security threat, instead of custodian of national security?” wondered Mokgware whose command and understanding of intelligence operation is second to none in Parliament.

He said he believes that there should be a security intelligence agency but not in the current form of the DIS. “We also need to relook at their Act, assess their need of training and regulate their expenditure. We need to interrogate various security intelligence agencies in different organisations, such as Botswana Police crime intelligence, Debswana, Wildlife, Military Intelligence and Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) on what is their role and how they fit in the security of the country,” said Mokgware.

The Gabane-Mankgodi legislator also said that President Khama does not say anything about Botswana National Security Strategy, which he described as an important tool, which can inform the nation on the threat the country faces. “It will detail how our security organs can be structured and resourced. Without this important tool, our security endeavour will always lack credibility. It is unacceptable for a country to continue without a presented national strategy,” he said adding that there are uncoordinated operations that sometimes lead to the security agencies clashing. Mokgware has firsthand experience of the excesses of DIS after he stumbled on information that the spy agency tapped his phone and was listening to his conversations. He sued and settled out of court at an undisclosed amount.

Sharing the same sentiments, Selebi Phikwe West MP Dithapelo Keorapetse said the President does not account to the nation on why defence and security budgets, especially the DIS are high when the nation is experiencing economic difficulties. “He has missed an opportunity to respond to issues raised by opposition since he assumed power in 2008. A probable conclusion is that the country does not have its priorities right,” he said adding that these are topical debates that the President never ever sees it fit to make his views known about them and seldom responds to divergent views about them. Legislator for Gaborone Bonnington South, Ndaba Gaolathe has previously expressed his frustration that the DIS is instilling fear in citizens. “There is nothing peaceful when government security operatives slay individuals for purported crimes, which allegedly could not have been resolved through the normal justice system.

There is nothing peaceful about a nation that feels there is someone out there eavesdropping on their phone calls and surveying their movements,” he said. He said the President cannot talk about peace when secret operatives do as they wish under the protection of law. Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, Eric Molale dismissed opposition for unfairly attacking the DIS. He said that he would do anything to protect the organisation. Molale is known to be a personal friend to DIS Director General, Isaac Kgosi.

“This organisation is doing well to protect this country from foreign elements that were not going to do any good for this country. I am happy that we have been able to detect them. People are shouting that we are expelling the expatriates. We have been silent for a long time about these allegations,” he said.