SELIBE PHIKWE — Minister for Local Government and Traditional Affairs Ketlhalefile Motshegwa has called for the swift removal of public officials who fail to perform or do not align with the government’s development agenda, saying consequence management is key to rebuilding accountability in Local Authorities.
Speaking at a forum for Mayors and Council Chairpersons addressed by President Duma Boko in Selibe Phikwe this week, Motshegwa said he was taking full responsibility for the Ministry’s performance and was prepared to be held accountable by both the President and the public.
“Mr President, I take responsibility for this ministry to take it to high heights,” Motshegwa said. “I subject myself to be held accountable by yourself and the people of this country. For me to achieve that, I need support.”
The Minister said the support he requires includes the authority to deploy executive management across the Ministry and in Councils who are “focused, professional, result-oriented, creative, innovative, transformational and hardworking.” He argued that placing the right people in leadership positions is critical to delivering on the government’s economic transformation agenda.
Consequence management as a priority
Motshegwa made it clear that underperformance and misalignment with government priorities would no longer be tolerated.
“My focus on consequence management means that those who don’t perform and are not aligned to the vision must pave way for the performers,” he said.
He urged the Office of the President to act quickly when the Ministry submits names for the removal of non-performing officials, as well as when recommending replacements who can drive the vision with distinction.
“We don’t want to shift blame when you hold us accountable,” Motshegwa said. “That is why we plead for support in that regard. If I and my Assistant Minister don’t perform, be free to fire us. And if my executives don’t perform, I will fire them. This requires the role of the Office of the President to support in the process. It’s consequence management and building a culture of accountability. We must perform.”
The remarks signal a harder line on public service accountability as the new administration seeks to shift Local Authorities from administrative bodies into engines of economic growth and service delivery.
Alignment with Boko’s call for delivery
Motshegwa’s comments aligned closely with President Boko’s earlier address at the same forum, where the President urged councils to deliver measurable results within the next five years and abandon “business as usual.” Boko had emphasized that Batswana are demanding jobs, food security, better healthcare, and improved infrastructure, and that councils must be at the forefront of delivering those outcomes.
By calling for decisive personnel changes, Motshegwa positioned his Ministry as ready to enforce that delivery mandate. He framed consequence management not as punitive, but as a necessary step to create a culture where performance is rewarded and failure has consequences.
“Leadership is about results,” he said. “We cannot keep recycling the same excuses while service delivery stalls and citizens lose confidence. The public expects us to act.”
Reforming Local Government leadership
The Minister’s focus on executive deployment reflects long-standing concerns about capacity and political interference in Botswana’s councils. Analysts have repeatedly cited weak management, lack of technical skills, and poor accountability as barriers to effective local governance.
Motshegwa’s proposal to centralize and expedite the process of hiring and firing senior council officials would mark a shift from current procedures, where such decisions often face bureaucratic delays. He argued that speed is essential if councils are to respond to urgent economic challenges, including high unemployment and declining revenues from traditional sources like diamonds.
“Time is not on our side,” he said. “Every month we delay in removing non-performers is a month lost for a young person who could have had a job, for a trader who could have had support, for a community that could have had water.”
Building a culture of accountability
The Minister stressed that accountability must start at the top. By offering to resign if he and his Assistant Minister fail to deliver, Motshegwa sought to set the tone for the rest of the public service.
“If I fail, fire me. If my team fails, I will fire them,” he said. “That is how we build trust. That is how we build a culture where people know that their jobs depend on performance, not on connections.”
He said the approach would help attract professionals who are committed to public service rather than personal gain, and would discourage complacency among those already in office.
Reaction and implications
The forum brought together council leaders from across the country to discuss local governance, service delivery, and strategies for strengthening leadership. Motshegwa’s remarks were met with mixed reactions, with some council chairpersons welcoming the focus on performance, while others expressed concern about potential political interference in appointments.
The Minister was careful to frame the process around professionalism and results, saying the goal was not to purge political opponents but to ensure alignment with the national development vision.
“Our mandate is clear,” he said. “We are here to implement the vision of this government. Anyone who cannot buy into that vision, or who cannot deliver, has no place in leadership.”
Next steps for the Ministry
Motshegwa said his Ministry would soon begin a review of executive management across all councils to identify gaps and recommend changes. He indicated that the process would be evidence-based and guided by performance data.
He also called on council leaders present at the forum to embrace the same standards of accountability within their own administrations, urging them to set clear targets, monitor progress, and communicate openly with communities.
“The culture of accountability must start in this room,” he said. “If we cannot hold ourselves to account, we cannot expect Batswana to trust us.”
As Botswana pushes to diversify its economy and strengthen local governance, Motshegwa’s call for consequence management may set the tone for how the administration handles underperformance across the public sector in the coming years