04 Feb 2018

Gaborone North Farms is one area that has been left behind in the provision of basic amenities such as portable water and road infrastructure, and as such these are critical areas that need to be addressed.

Addressing his constituents in a kgotla meeting recently, Gaborone North MP, Mr Haskins Nkaigwa said the state of roads and water provision in the rest of the capital was much better than it was at the farms.

“Although all the areas of Gaborone need to have their physical infrastructure upgraded, Gaborone North Farms is the one area which is left behind.  Yet, most of the other neighbourhoods in the capital have become crowded with little space for residential and commercial development. This is the area where the city could develop further,” Mr Nkaigwa said.

Mr Nkaigwa said he had approached the Minister of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services, Mr Prince Maele as well as Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) chief executive officer with a proposal for potable water services to be provided for the area.

“The idea is that Gaborone North Farms would be serviced with potable water pipelines and prepaid metres. The residents would bear the cost by gradually paying for the installation of the pipelines over an agreed period of time. The minister and CEO agreed to assist us in principle, but what has stalled the implementation is a dispute between two community organisations, Moshawa and Gaborone North community trusts,” Mr Nkaigwa said.

The legislator told his constituents that if mediation efforts by the Mayor of Gaborone and the local councillor did not bear fruit, he would then return to the minister and the WUC since community trusts were not supposed to stall developmental projects in the area.

With the P10 million constituency allowance, Mr Nkaigwa said Gaborone North would set aside P4 million for the installation of floodlights in various wards in the constituency.

The paving of roads in Gaborone North Farms would follow in the next financial year, he said.

Mr Nkaigwa also updated constituents on some of the deliberations from the past two sittings of parliament, among them the amendment of the BDF Act, the Consumer Protection Bill, Competition Bill, Immigration Amendment Bill and Citizenship Bill.

“These have been passed and await to be signed into law by the President. This was the first time the BDF Act was amended since 1977, and parliament was seeking to improve the working conditions of army officers. Among the changes is that officers in the junior ranks are now allowed to retire at the age of 55, up from 45 previously,” Mr Nkaigwa said.

Gaborone North Farms resident, Mr Onneile Lesego said both water and road situation in the area needed to be addressed quickly. ENDS