CONTROVERSY SURROUNDS APPOINTMENT OF NEW BTV HEAD,

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SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/14/2019
TAGS: PGOV PHUM SOCI BC
SUBJECT: CONTROVERSY SURROUNDS APPOINTMENT OF NEW BTV HEAD,
EX-POLICE OFFICER

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Classified By: A/DCM Heather Merritt for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (U) Summary: On July 10, Molefhe Sejoe was announced as
the new general manager of the state-owned Botswana
Television (BTV). Sejoe is a retired police officer, and
critics of the appointment say this is another example of
President Khama's pattern of appointing military and police
officials to head civilian institutions. Supporters within
BTV say that appointing a good manager who can bring some
additional discipline to BTV would be welcome as there is
currently a lack of good oversight and supervision at the
station. End Summary.


2. (U) The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of
Communications, Science and Technology announced July 10 that
Molefhe Sejoe had been appointed as the new head of the
state-owned Botswana Television (BTV). Sejoe is a recently
retired police officer, who served in the Botswana Police
Service (BPS) since 1979. In 1983 Mr. Sejoe began his
specialization within the telecommunications area of the BPS.
Among other roles, Sejoe served as an IT manager and a
Divisional Transport and Telecommunications Branch Officer.
Sejoe retired from the police force last year. At the
announcement of Sejoe's appointment, BTV officials pointed to
his experience within the police force and also stated that
Sejoe had been working on projects for BTV.


3. (U) The General Manager heads BTV and reports to the
Director of Communications, who oversees BTV as well as
government owned radio stations. Critics of the appointment
say that Sejoe lacks the requisite experience needed for the
position, stating that his work within the police force was
simply managerial and did not give him the technical
experience for day-to-day operations of Botswana's only local
television station. Additionally, they see to this
appointment as another example of a pattern of President
Khama allegedly trying to "militarize" civilian jobs.
Critics point to other Khama appointments of former
military/police into government positions, including the
Commissioner of Prisons and Rehabilitation, the Private
Secretary to the President, the Senior Private Secretary to
the President, the General Manager of the Central Transport
Organization, as well as the majority of officers who make up
the newly formed Directorate of Intelligence and Security
Services (DISS). Some media commentators have asked why the
acting general manager, who worked his way up through the
ranks at BTV, was not offered the position.


4. (SBU) Supporters of Sejoe's appointment state that BTV has
needed additional structure and discipline for some time.
They state that personal connections were by far the most
important barometer for success. They describe the
management situation at BTV as "a crisis." However, these
statements about BTV management were made in the press by
unnamed sources. Embassy staff who work closely with the
media had not heard these criticisms of BTV previously.


5. (C) Comment: Post thinks that it is unlikely that
ex-police officer Sejoe's appointment as BTV manager will
continue to be a major issue in the press. However, it will
be used by critics of President Khama (both opposition
supporters and some within the ruling BDP) as another in a
string of examples of the President appointing retired
military and police officers into prominent civilian
positions. While it is true that Khama has appointed former
security officers to several civilian positions, this is not
necessarily an alarming trend. Considering that the
President rose up through BDF ranks, he may simply be more
comfortable working with people he knows and trusts, many of
whom are ex-military. However, post has also been hearing
reports that many in the government see President Khama as
someone to be feared, and that it is this fear and not simply
respect that he is accorded when determining policies.
Additionally, there have been reports that some of the
individuals that Khama has appointed do not serve in a
traditional role as advisors or counselors to the President,
but rather simply do what they are told by the President. It
is hard to get a read on how true this is, although public
actions by the President do tend to show that he does not
tolerate dissent well.


6. (C) Comment Continued: It is important to remember that
government actions with regard to public information and the
media are especially sensitive at present, as Botswana
prepares for its general election in October 2009. Embassy
officers have heard allegations that the appointment of
ex-policeman Sejoe to lead Botswana's only television station
just before the election campaign casts doubt on the
credibility of the government owned media to report on the

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election in an impartial way. However, it is hard to find
impartial reporting in Botswana, whether by the government
owned television, radio, and newspapers or by privately owned
(and often fiercely critical of government) radio and
newspapers. In fact post has been seeing a growing
sensationalism of stories and witnessed many stories which
were simply factually incorrect. Post will continue to
monitor both private and government-controlled media and
report any percieved biases or manipulation of information as
appropriate as Botswana's election nears. End Comment.
NOLAN