27 Jan 2019

Most of the indigenous knowledge on Botswana culture and traditional practices as well as the way bogosi was administered in the past has not been documented and patented.

Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration Mr Nonofo Molefhi told members of Ntlo ya Dikgosi that as such foreigners had taken advantage of the state of affairs and were exploiting it.

Officially closing a capacity building workshop for dikgosi in Gaborone on January 25, the minister also advised them to use alternative forms of sentencing such as performance of extra mural activities at public institutions as a deterrent, especially for cocky offenders.

He urged dikgosi to put to good use the knowledge they acquired from their four-day workshop, which he described as an eye opener.

He said it imparted leadership knowledge and skills, which could be applied to the day-to-day management of their offices.

Minister Molefhi further said the workshop, which was one way of empowering dikgosi, should help them to evaluate themselves.

Speaking on behalf of other dikgosi, Kgosi Kgomotso Boiditswe described the workshop as useful, saying they would have wished to share the knowledge acquired with others at home, but lack of transport and other resources made it difficult.

He pointed out that communities expected a lot from dikgosi and expressed gratitude that they were now more enlightened to respond to challenges.

In his welcome remarks, Ntlo Ya Dikgosi chairperson, Kgosi Puso of Batlokwa said the workshop capacitated attendants on leadership, corporate governance as well as emotional intelligence.

Kgosi Puso said dikgosi should be in a position to reflect and introspect as a way of gauging their performance and understanding of issues. Ends