Critics of Botswana President Ian Khama's tough leadership style have called him a dictator, a label he shrugs off with amusement as he sets about clearing the government of lazy people and bureaucracy.
The 56-year-old, vying to return to the helm of Africa's most widely praised democracy in elections on Friday, says he brings "a new way of doing things and, of course, the only word they can pin on me is that I am a dictator".
"What I demand is delivery from the public service, and the reason I demand delivery from the public service is for the benefit of the population," said Khama on the sidelines of one of his final election rallies.
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"Governments can become very bureaucratic and therefore delivery to the population slows down and you get a lot of criticism as a result ... I have demanded that things be different."
| 'I have demanded that things be different' |
The son of Botswana's founding father took office last April when his predecessor, Festus Mogae, retired. He immediately set about reshuffling the cabinet, firing five ministers.
"I will not hesitate to fire lazy people because they have no place in my government," he told supporters at the rally.
In his inaugural speech he announced the tenets of his government as "the four Ds: democracy, development, dignity and discipline", which critics fear will come at the expense of personal liberty as he pushes through directives without consulting his ministers.
A teetotal fitness fanatic, Khama slapped a 30 percent tax on alcohol and has been widely criticised for the introduction of laws that increase government regulation of the media.
Although Khama has said that he would never interfere with the media's role in a democratic society, he has added that he is media-shy and "a bit reluctant to talk to the media because occasionally some of the things you say are always twisted".
| 'We must take a stand against any unruly elements in the party' |
While he may steer away from publicity, Khama has been vocal about human rights and abuses of democracy in neighbouring Zimbabwe, garnering international approval for openly criticising President Robert Mugabe.
Again breaking ranks from the regional softly-softly approach, Khama on Thursday said that Harare's unity government was "limping along" and faced a real danger of collapsing.
Problems at home have also kept him busy. He was co-opted into the government from the Botswana defence force to ease factionalism in the ruling Botswana Democratic Party but his style has, in fact, deepened bitter rifts during the lead-up to the elections.
One move that heightened tensions was his suspension of party secretary general Gomolemo Motswaledi for ill-discipline and undermining his authority.
Khama said he was determined to end the rifts in his party and "that is why I decided that we must take a stand against any unruly elements in the party that promote factionalism".
Although Botswana has been hailed for stability and economic growth, it is estimated that 47 percent of its population lives below the poverty line - on less than one US dollar a day - and Khama admits that his greatest challenge is to reduce the country's dependence on diamonds and to diversify its economy. - Sapa-AFP
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