By Matik Kueth
The Office of the President has pulled the plug on public-facing announcements of top-level appointments and dismissals, ushering in a new era of sealed letters, restricted access, and institutional silence.
Africano Mande Gedima, Minister of Presidential Affairs, signed the directive on Thursday, mandating an immediate shift under which decisions once broadcast to the nation will now be handled behind closed doors and delivered only to select authorities through confidential channels.
The move effectively sidelines radio and television as instruments of executive communication, replacing them with a tightly controlled administrative chain.
The directive also draws a hard line against the digital circulation of presidential documents.
Any decree bearing the President’s signature is now treated as sensitive executive material, with photographing or sharing such papers on social media classified as a serious breach of protocol.
Execution of presidential decisions has been reassigned from individuals to institutions.
Speakers of Parliament, ministers, governors, and other supervising authorities are now solely responsible for implementing changes and overseeing handovers, while State House distances itself from direct engagement with appointees.
To prevent leaks, the Presidency has introduced a central tracking system for all decrees, limiting access to only those deemed essential and monitoring every document’s movement.
Officials who resist implementation or delay transitions risk swift administrative or legal consequences.
The government says the overhaul is meant to preserve the dignity of the presidency and stabilize governance, but the new rules also mark one of the most restrictive information-control measures in recent years.