17 Mar 2019

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi has urged Botswana Defense Force (BDF) personnel to continue serving the nation with discipline.

Addressing Sir Seretse Khama Barracks (SSKB) staff in Mogoditshane recently, Dr Masisi reminded soldiers to be always prepared and be driven by passion to defend and protect Botswana.

He called upon soldiers to remain disciplined in their everyday duties, to follow instructions and proper communication channels and structures according to their positions.

Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi said the alignment of the BDF pay structure resulted with privates moving from salary scale of B3 to B1 effective April 1, 2019.

This he said, would result with something known in the military circle as ‘domino effect’ as all scales would subsequently be upgraded.

Civilians or non-uniformed staff members working for the BDF would also get their dues as time went on since government was to formulate their separate act and pay structure, noted the President.

Furthermore, Dr Masisi said pension scheme for BDF members would also be reviewed to ensure that they did not retire into poverty.

He said the Veterans Affairs Office would be established to cater for the welfare of retired officers.

The president said the decision came after government engaged Tsa Badiri and 21st Century to review the Conditions of Service of Public Sector employees.

He said government could not afford to implement all of them due to costs.

Earlier, the president had an opportunity to view the equipment purchased from the United Kingdom at a value of P160 million.

Colonel Mmono Nkoane said the equipment was procured through the Excess Defence Equipment Procurement Exercise, where big militaries around the world sold their used equipment at affordable prices.

He said they procured equipment, which consisted of 35 Land Rovers, 200 Daff Trucks and 25 Ambulances still operated as new, with some having a mileage of 15 000 kilometres.

Col Nkoane said government could have spent as much as P800 million for new equipment.

Under the Excess Defence Equipment Exercise, large militaries get rid of their old stock, which in most cases were used once for a particular mission in order to make room for new ones.

The BDF also procured new Land Rovers which were manufactured for other markets but failed to follow up on their deals. Ends