22 Jan 2019

Government has formulated a five-year strategic plan for the Department of Tribal Administration with a view to heightening its value proposition and elevating the powers of dikgosi.

This was said by Acting President Mr Slumber Tsogwane who explained that the move was meant to make their powers commensurate with their responsibilities and relevance in the country’s governance structures.

Officiating at a five-day capacity building workshop for Ntlo Ya Dikgosi members in Gaborone on January 22, he said the strategy was also in recognition of Bogosi as a unifying force in forging and maintaining national identity.

He said bogosi was one of the key pillars in the country’s multicultural society and democracy and also played an important role of in the lives of communities.

The acting president informed dikgosi that progress on the review of the Bogosi Act, which commenced in the 2017/18 financial year, was satisfactory as the draft bill was under discussion by key stakeholders. 

Mr Tsogwane observed that Ntlo Ya Dikgosi members continued to be capacitated on issues of leadership, good governance, risk management and emotional intelligence.

As an advisory body to Parliament, the workshop would enhance their skills in executing their duties, he said.

In addition, Mr Tsogwane said since Ntlo Ya Dikgosi  advised Parliament through questions, motions and bills, the workshop would refine their leadership and analytical abilities.

It would enable and empower dikgosi to approach critical issues affecting their people and country from a different perspective, he said.

“The challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality continue to afflict Batswana. The global economy remains stagnant and our own country faces the problem of slow growth,” he said.

To address the problems, he said, government had undertaken to support small businesses and holder farmers. 

Mr Tsogwane said government wanted to see rural enterprises revived and was keen to engage dikgosi on the radical socio-economic programme especially its implementation in rural areas.

On other issues, he decried the upswing in violence against women and children incidents and  cautioned that government had declared dealing with such crimes a priority.

He therefore called on dikgosi to also prioritise the fight against gender based violence and crime in general.

Welcoming participants,  Ntlo Ya Dikgosi chairperson Kgosi Puso Gaborone said in his 10 years at the helm, he had ensured that members were capacitated  because they needed to make informed deliberations.

He further said dikgosi should be up to date with new life developments and many demands which they were expected to address.

Giving a vote of thanks, the house’s deputy chairperson Kgosi Malope II said the workshop would empower them to effectively deliberate on the soon to be tabled Bogosi and Stock Theft bills. ENDS