"Leave" - Domkrag youth orders Richard

The newly elected Botswana National Front Youth League (BNFYL) President, Khumoekae Richard could lose his source of income as Administration Officer if his counterpart at the ruling Botswana Democratic Party, Andy Boatile wins the ear of the Parliamentary Clerk.

Boatile has officially registered a complaint with the clerk of Parliament, Barbara Ditlhapo, that the Public Service act disallows active politicians to hold offices in the public service. Khumoekae is currently working at the Gaborone Central constituency office as the administrative officer for the Member of Parliament in the area.

Richard was voted as the BNFYL President two weeks ago in Mahalapye in a hotly contested election in which his camp collected all the available seats. Speaking in an interview with The Midweek Sun, Boatile confirms his move.

“We expect that as a public servant he is serving everybody regardless of party affiliation and by him as the leader of BNFYL brings contradictions in his position. He is the face of BNF and everybody now looks at him in that way not as a servant,” said Boatile.

He also said the issue was raised by some of his party activists who resigned their posts. “They asked me to enquire as to why Richard cannot resign from his post because his case is similar to theirs. Ga se gore re a mo jalasetsa,” said Boatile. According to Boatile he wrote a letter to Clerk two weeks ago.
Another BDP member, who preferred anonymity did not hide his displeasure at the current developments as he complained that if it was a BDP member holdin a political position, the opposition could have climbed drums making the loudest noise.

“We are all civil servants and it is disheartening when those affiliated to opposition parties are given a mileage to campaign for political office when we at BDP are barred from doing so.”

On the other hand Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) and MP for the area, Phenyo Butale rubbished the complaints.“The BNF youth leader is serving the interests of a politician and there is no way he can be separated from me as our contracts are tied together. He will only resign once I resign and people should simply forget about their current squeaking about him resigning. I am the one who decides who works for me since I need someone I trust and Richard is the perfect guy and I won’t have any other alternative,” Butale warned.

Efforts to contact Clerk Dithapo were futile as it was said she was out of the office but the Public Relations Officer at the National Assembly, Karabo Marumo admitted in an interview that Richard is a civil servant as he is guided by the Public Service Act and the General Order which bars civil servants from taking part in active politics. He explained that in the event a civil servant is interested in joining politics, they should relinquish their jobs.