21 Feb 2018

Vice President Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi has thanked President Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama for leading the country for the past 10 years and for abiding by the constitution and relinquishing power when his term ends.

“This peaceful transition of power, from one President to another defines ourselves as a nation and more particularly it defines the integrity of the BDP, for we have a track record,” Mr Masisi said.

“Every single leader that we had, had been law-abiding,” he added. Speaking in Parliament, he applauded President Khama for his housing appeal initiative, saying it was a remarkable success by every measure ‘for it invoked in every caring citizen a response devoid of ideological position and for that we must all join hands in applauding his success.’

Mr Masisi also thanked the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr Kenneth Matambo, saying he was an erudite, consummate, caring and focused minister, bequeathed with broad economic thinking.

He reminded MPs that they had been given a mandate by those who elected them to represent them and urged them to ‘arise to do exactly that, for I do as an elected Moshupa/Manyana MP.’

Vice President said, “We must never forget we are the messengers of our people and we have been given a task by them to legislate and generate legislations that actually work for our people.”

He said legislator needed the support of members of the media and of one another, in their various formations, to carry out their message of commitment to their people.

“But I know there are times when we have differences of opinion, which is normal and healthy in any relationship. These must be allowed to play themselves out in an interest of generating a conclusion out of that difference of view and must not deter us from acknowledging the work that they do or the work that we do, as we messengers for our people,” said Mr Masis.

“It is important to stress that it is a message that is important, and the messenger less so, so at times I think we get lost in the course of the debate to target the messenger and not the message,” he added.

Commenting on the response made by Leader of Opposition, Mr Duma Boko, on the 2018/2019 budget proposal, Mr Masisi said it was clear in Mr Boko’s response to the budget that ‘he either did not understand or he chose not to understand the budget or both, for it was clear that Honourable Boko was in another world’.

“The national budget is an annual statement presenting government’s proposed revenues and spending for a financial year, that is passed by the legislature, approved by the President and presented by the Minister of Finance and Economic Development to the nation through this august body,” he explained.

Through the national budget, he said government ensured it maintained fiscal discipline, while at the same time exercising creativity in stimulating economic growth and creating jobs.
“But, always, a precondition to this, is to finance the ongoing, which is what many people forget and part of the ongoing is to finance the very salaries that honourable members need for their sustenance,” he added.

With regard to his constituency, Mr Masisi said his constituents had long longed for a hospital that could improve their health status. He expressed hope that projects that affected his constituency, such as challenges of water could be achieved as a result of the 2018/ 2019 budget.

Having served two terms with commitment as Moshupa/Manyana MP, Mr Masisi made a pledge and promised to continue serving with commitment. He also extended a hand of friendship and commitment to the Leader of Opposition, saying he would also continue to work with them and serve them for the betterment of the country.

Meanwhile, Sergeant-at-arms, with the help of parliamentary security officers, was ordered to throw Molepolole North MP, Mr Mohammed Khan out of Parliament, following his continuous disruption of Parliament business by engaging in a matter that Deputy Speaker, Mr Kagiso Molatlhegi made a ruling on. Ends