23 Jul 2019

Government has waged a full-scale war against all social ills bedeviling the nation, President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi has said.

The president told Batswana living in Kenya that government would not back down in fighting against ills such as road carnages, entrenched corruption, gross incidents of women abuse and domestic violence and cyber crime.

President Masisi who is on a three-day state visit to the east African nation, said government would continue to formulate policies and enact laws with a view to clean up the rot to ensure uninterrupted peace and progress in Botswana.

He said the 2018 Cyber Crime and Computer-related Crimes Act, anti-money laundering laws and regulations of 2019 as well as counter-terrorism legislation were all instruments geared towards fighting waywardness.

President Masisi took time to explain the importance of bilateral relations with countries such as Kenya in boosting trade and investment that Botswana needed to create employment and further its development.

The President said he, together with his delegation, were in Kenya to deepen bilateral relations and to tap on existing trade and investment opportunities for the benefit of Batswana hence the inclusion of Botswana business people in the mission.

Noting that the two countries had diametrically opposed view-points on wildlife conservation, Dr Masisi said the intention was to   get  Kenya to reconsider its position on controlled hunting.

“We are more than willing to share with them our success story, experiences and best practice that has helped soar our elephant population,” he said.

Meanwhile President Masisi has advised Batswana residing in Kenya to always be on their best behaviour, demonstrate good work ethic and keep at bay anything that might soil the good name of Botswana.

Commenting Ms Khumoetsile Sebotsa, a student,  called on government to emulate Kenya’s agricultural extension services which she said was successful  due to the employment of new technologies and dissemination of important information to farmers.

Another student, Ms Moipone Ntshole said it was time government made a paradigm shift from non-renewable sources of energy to renewable ones such as solar energy.

Ms Ntshole also advocated for the utilization of municipal waste to generate bio-gas.

For his part, Mr Daniel Mojaphoko, an entrepreneur in the confectionery business, called on government to make doing business a lot easier.

He asked government to consider having direct flights between Botswana and Kenya.

Responding, Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Security Mr Fidelis Molao acknowledged the need to use best practices and technologies in Botswana’s agricultural sector.

He however said the country was moving in that direction citing the Integrated Support Programme for Arable Agriculture Development clusters.

Minister of Transport and Communications Ms Dorcas Makgatho the direct flight issue was on the agenda of the bilateral  discussions.

She said plans were at an advanced stage to transform doing business in Botswana.

Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Ms Bogolo Kenewendo said her presence in Kenya as part of her ministry’s benchmarking exercise.

President Masisi also met Botswana business people calling on them to be credible in their dealings.

He said their success augured well for government. Business people, President Masisi said, were key partners in development.

He promised that government would continue to play its facilitating role of creating an enabling environment for businesses to thrive.

Botswana Exporters and Manufacturers Association chief executive officer, Ms Mmantlha Sankoloba  expressed the hope that they would be able to forge profitable business relationships with their Kenyan counterparts.

She also expressed happiness that the business forum they were to participate in coincided with the newly launched African Continental Free Trade Agreement, the largest in the world in terms of participating countries, which aimed at fostering trade among member states and spur business growth across the continent. ENDS