20 Sep 2016

The Minister of Agriculture,  Patrick Ralotsia says Batswana have every reason to celebrate the nation’s 50th independence anniversary on September 30.
Ralotsia said this during a fundraising dinner for independence day celebrations organised by Kgosi Malope II of Bangwaketse.
He said it was important for all Batswana to look back and appreciate the strides the nation, which was counted among the poorest in the world with less than 10 educated citizens at independence in 1966, had made thus far.
Ralotsia encouraged Batswana to read news articles written about Botswana before independence to appreciate that although a lot still has to be done, a lot had also been done.
He cited Justice Monametsi Gaongalelwe of the High Court who had also graced the event as evidence that the nation had achieved a lot during self-rule. He said before independence, it was unheard of for Batswana to hold such positions of authority.
The minister thanked residents for pledging livestock and P23 400 in cash for the celebrations. He said the spirit behind the fundraising event confirmed that indeed Batswana had every reason to be proud of the country’s achievements.
Kgosi Malope for his part, commended residents for supporting the initiative without insisting on getting their money’s worth. Tickets were sold for P250 each.
Kgosi Malope also encouraged Bangwaketse across the country to come home on independence day.
The Member of Parliament for Kanye South, Abram Kesupile also said Batswana had reason to celebrate the journey thus far and to recognise trailblazers who had laid a foundation for the nation. Bangwaketse pledged P23 400 and livestock for the big day.
Meanwhile, a certain Charles King of the Southern News Services a few days before independence described the nation as impoverished, arid and hungry land without a hope of achieving economic stability.
The article said two years of disastrous drought and crop failure had brought havoc and hunger to the country’s widely scattered agricultural inhabitants, adding that more than one fifth of the population was literally being kept alive by emergency feeding.
He said the country’s population of 500 000, two per square mile, made it one of the emptiest countries in the world.
“It has a single railway line owned and operated by neighbours, Rhodesia, a national airline with one plane, a rickety, well–worn DC-3. It has 2 000 cars and trucks, 1 600 telephones and a national radio service that broadcasts for two hours a day. It also has debts and economic misery and destined to be an international charity case,” read the article. ENDS