03 Dec 2018

Member of Parliament for Ngami, Mr Thato Kwerepe has asked government to assist farmers in Xubu whose flock has been infected and killed by tick-borne disease.

Responding to the State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA), Mr Kwerepe, who is also the Assistant Minister of Basic Education,  said about 8 000 flock had died because of the tick-borne disease that causes heart water disease.

He pointed out that heart-water disease had caused serious economic problems for the farmers as they recorded losses due to death.

He therefore called upon the government to regard it as a disaster and assist farmers.

Regarding Gumare Primary Hospital that was gutted by fire last year, MP Kwerepe stated that he was surprised that it did not appear in the SONA.

He pointed out that former minister of health and former President Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama had visited the hospital and promised that it would be refurbished.

For his part, the specially elected Member of Parliament Mephato Reatile pointed out that dikgosi had done a lot before politics took over in the country.

MP Reatile said dikgosi and pastors had worked hard for the nation to be where Botswana is today, and therefore urged that they be given appropriate respect.

He said most of dikgosi today were educated, and therefore get bored to stay at the kgotla, hence most have turned to politics.

He said they had been turned to be beggars at the kgotla because their salaries were low.

MP Reatile suggested that the salary of dikgosi should be pegged at F scale of F0- F1- F2.

“Kante moila wa teng e ka nna eng gore dikgosi di simolole go duelwa ka bo F0 re itse gore ke bone ba ba agileng lefatshe le, molato wa teng ke eng,” MP Reatile asked rhetorically.

He pointed out that when dikgosi were at the forefront of preventing the country from being incorporated into South Africa.

MP Reatile also mentioned that salaries of headmen of records needed to be reviewed; saying the review of their salaries would show that indeed they were honoured.

Meanwhile MP Reatile expressed happiness that another Motswana had taken over as the managing director of Debswana Diamond Company.

He welcomed the fact that Mr Albert Milton took over as the general manager of Jwaneng mine from December 1. Ends