Kesitlwe opposes Serame’s candidacy for SACU post

Botswana National Front activist, Tlamelang Kesitlwe, has come out strongly against the government’s endorsement of former Finance Minister Peggy Serame for the position of Executive Secretary of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU).

The seat, currently vacant following the resignation of Lesotho national Thabo Khasipe, has attracted regional attention as member states prepare to field their candidates.

The government has confirmed Serame as Botswana’s nominee after a formal recruitment process.

Kesitlwe acknowledges that the position was duly advertised and that Serame emerged as a successful candidate who will still be subjected to scrutiny and competition with other SACU nominees. However, he insists that putting her forward is a misstep.

“I do not think submitting her as our candidate is wise. Her reputation is compromised as a former Minister of Finance,” he said.

While conceding that Serame is academically qualified and has served the government well in various senior roles, Kesitlwe argues that her profile was weakened when she joined active politics under the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP).

He said Serame’s credentials are solid, but she lost credibility when she entered partisan politics. “That cannot be overlooked,” he said.

Kesitlwe maintains that the government should have re-advertised the post to give other capable citizens a fair chance, even though a total of 17 Batswana had applied.

Despite that, he still claims that the advertisement came as a surprise, and that most Batswana were not even aware of it. “Re-advertising would be the honourable thing to do, as it would allow many more to try their luck,” he argued.

In his view, the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) should not support Serame’s candidature under any circumstances, even if no other applicants emerge.

Instead, he suggests the government should directly headhunt a suitably qualified individual who can shoulder the responsibilities of the role.

Kesitlwe contends that Serame remains an active political player because, after losing elections, she openly declared that she was not leaving the BDP nor quitting politics.

'In my view, she is only going to SACU to pass time and will return in 2029 to relaunch her campaign,” he said.

He also pointed to the ongoing forensic audit, warning that it might implicate some former cabinet members.

“If that were to be the case with her, the country would be embarrassed. We must avoid appointing any of them until they are fully cleared,” Kesitlwe argued.

Nonetheless, he acknowledges the possibility of unfairness if Serame is excluded now but later cleared, denying her would be unjust if she comes out clean.

'But we can patiently wait for the outcome of the forensic audit, even if we do not know who the auditors will approach.'

Responding to questions on the principle of presumption of innocence, Kesitlwe clarified, “I am not accusing her or any BDP executive member of wrongdoing.

But the public perception is that some may be implicated, and that is why we are calling for the final outcome.”

Kesitlwe also conceded that high-level regional positions such as the SACU Executive Secretaryship are often political. However, he maintained that former cabinet members should not be considered.

“Any other citizen with the necessary credentials is welcome to apply. But I do not think it is appropriate to appoint anyone from the former cabinet,” he said.