20 Feb 2018

Parliament on Friday adopted a motion requesting government to pass a law ‘compelling cell phone dealers to sell cell phones with software that allows the phone to be disabled and rendered useless when stolen’.

The motion was tabled by Gabane/Mmankgodi MP, Major General Pius Mokgware, who expressed concern about the rising crime of cell phones in Botswana.

“The statistics of cell phones theft are growing every day and people get seriously hurt when thieves mug them and take away their phones. Some people have even been killed and this should be a concern to us leaders and we should find ways of preventing this crime,” said Maj. Gen. Mokgware recently.

He believes cell phone thieves were a syndicate with access to a big market outside Botswana. He therefore said if a software was inserted in phone gadgets to disable the cell phone when they got stolen, thieves would be discouraged and cell phone theft would ultimately reduce.

“We have a responsibility as Members of Parliament and leaders of this country to come up with laws that can improve our people’s lives,” he said.

He outlined that the cell phone disabling software was already in use in the United Kingdom.

Maj. Gen. Mokgware explained that it would be the responsibility of the retailers to tell their suppliers who might be the manufacturers to sell them cell phones with the software.

“If you go to the United Kingdom, that is the standard practice,” he added.

While agreeing with the motion, Minister of Transport and Communications, Mr Kitso Mokaila felt that the responsibility of ensuring that cellphones had that kind of software should be placed on manufacturers instead of retailers.  

He further said statistics indicated that many Batswana owned cellphones, which could be inserted with that software, therefore it would be necessary to avoid limiting the range of cell phones sold in Botswana when implementing the motion.

“Once we get the statistics of how many cell phones that are in the market can be enabled with that software and how many cannot be, then we know exactly the impact of the decision we want to make. We need to ensure that we don’t disadvantage the very people that we want to protect,” said the minister.

Vice President, Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi supported the motion, saying government was deeply concerned by the behaviour of thugs who dispossessed people of their cell phones and were even willing to end the victims’ lives.

He said passing the motion would be a bold statement by the Botswana Parliament that stealing a cell phone did not pay and that Parliament was committed to protecting Batswana.

“I commend you honourable member and I hope that the rest of Botswana embrace it,” he said.

Shoshong MP, Mr Dikgang Makgalemele said the motion by Maj. Gen. Mokgware was commendable and would help to protect people against cellphone theft.

He added that it would assist to protect confidential information that might have been stored in cell phones that are stolen.

Furthermore, he pointed that the motion would lead to a reduction in the number of people getting mugged for their cell phones.

Serowe South MP, Dr Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi also supported the motion, but advised that the responsibility of putting software in cellphone gadgets should not be placed on retailers.  

Maun West MP, Mr Tawana Moremi however argued that retailers should be mandated to sell cell phones installed with that kind of software.

“A lot of people are getting attacked by cell phone thieves in our country. The issue has even affected our public order and it cannot just be treated as a consumer issue,” the legislator said.

Mahalapye West MP, Mr Joseph Molefe welcomed the motion, saying cell phone theft had put lives of people at risk.

However, he was one of the legislators who believed that the responsibility of ensuring that cell phone gadgets had disabling software should be placed on manufacturers instead of retailers.

The motion was further supported by Palapye MP, Mr Moiseraela Goya, who said cell phone theft had become rampant.

“Many people get robbed of their cell phones on the streets and they don’t even bother reporting to the police. Some people have lost their lives at the hands of criminals,” Mr Goya said, thanking Maj. Gen. Mokgware for tabling the motion looking to address this challenge. Ends