28 Oct 2019

Batswana across the length and breadth of the country last week voted to Parliament what to many an observer appears to be a healthy ecosystem of talent and experience.

About 26 young, sound minds are expected to join the 12th session of Parliament, chart the choppy waters of political differences and become the point of the spear on many issues that dominate the public discourse like youth unemployment, corruption and citizen economic empowerment among others.

BOPA reporter Topo Monngakgotla stuck out his neck out to find out what the nation could expect from what might arguably turn out to be the most vibrant session that would go to the ends of the earth to turn ideas shared during the campaign trail into policies that could propel the nation forward.

Speaking in an interview, Kanye South Member of Parliament (MP) in waiting Dr Lemogang Kwape of BDP said the voting pattern signified renewed hope among Batswana.

Dr Kwape, also epidemiologist and public health specialist expressed optimism that the new crop of young thought leaders would easily articulate and drive the knowledge based economy agenda and make sure what they set out to achieve was aligned to the Vision 2036 ideals.

Another newly voted BDP MP for Mmathethe/Molapowabojang, Dr Edwin Dikoloti said he expected especially the youthful MPs to serve a cause bigger than themselves in Parliament because they still had the energy and legs to run.

The young consummate veterinarian explained that most of them might be young in terms of age but had a world of experience and exposure adding he expected lively debates and well researched presentations.

He said it was critical for them to work around the clock to implement pledges made to Batswana during the just ended campaigns.

BDP’s Mr Karabo Gare of Moshupa/Manyana constituency also shared sentiments that the exuberance of youth would certainly liven Parliament and notch up debates.

He said as young MPs, they were alive to challenges faced by the nation especially the youth who constituted about 60 per cent of the population.
Mr Gare, an accountant by training, expected issue based debates informed by a genuine desire to remove all bottlenecks that impede on everyday lives of Batswana.

He stressed that MPs should put political affiliations aside and stop at nothing to ensure all Batswana have a foothold in the economy through a legislative framework.

Mr Tumisang Healy, BDP MP for Gaborone Central constituency likewise argued that as youthful MPs they understood young Batswana’s struggles and experiences better therefore expected policies that would speak to that.

Mr Healy however warned that, true to nature, young people had a lot of energy therefore critical to harness and drive them into the right direction.

He said they had a duty to find common ground on issues and prove to the nation that nothing was impossible if they worked together towards a common end.

Mr Tumiso Rakgare of Mogoditshane constituency also added that a lion’s share of the population comprised the youth who were faced with such challenges as unemployment.

The BDP representative said as young MPs, close to the realities on the ground, the overarching consideration was to transform the school curriculum and use it to drive the knowledge based economy agenda.

He said the idea was to create a creative, innovative, competent human resource capital that could create employment opportunities for itself and on a global stage.

The former Radio sports presenter said there was a lot of money involved in sport. He connected that through education, Batswana could explore avenues along sport value chain to earn a decent living.

 “Why can’t we have Dipsy Selolwane branded soccer boots the same way PUMA partnered with Jomo Sono in South Africa?” he asked rhetorically.

Serowe North legislator in waiting Mr Baratiwa Mathoothe for his part argued that local empowerment be enforced by Law.

The Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) MP argued that government had been paying lip service to local empowerment adding that  he expected more to be done through a piece of legislation to ensure it trickled down to Batswana.

Mr Mathoothe said before big government tenders were awarded contractors should be bound by Law to ensure the communities would also benefit.

As things stood, he said some big contractors would even go to the extent of bringing along mobile toilets and outsource nothing to local communities when awarded tenders.

This he said should be outlawed. Mr Mathoothe, a known farmer and businessman said he expected government to leverage on Agriculture.

He said more still needs to be done to create opportunities for Batswana through Agriculture. Likewise he expected lively debates and a cross pollination of ideas that would take the nation forward.

Botswana Council of Non-Governmental Organizations (BOCONGO) Director Mr Botho Segokgo said the 12th session of Parliament would be the most exciting as it ropes in many young minds without baggage from the past and individuals who were so determined to buy into the vision of the President.

These, he said were people who understood the modern language of fourth industrial revolution, robotics, coding and all the nation needed to create jobs and propel the economy to higher ground.

He said it was exciting to observe how things would turn out going into the next five years.

He said one of the challenges in the old Parliament was that people were used to the old way of doing things, which was not always progressive.

“If you take Kanye for instance, we have two fellas in Dr Kwape and Mr Thapelo Letsholo. Mr Letsholo is a well-known business individual while Dr Kwape is a renowned manager on issues of food and nutrition, this he said would help in sectors that were now relevant to the economy.

He warned the youthful across the political divide that their aptitude to perform would be hugely reliant on the ability to account to the people who sent them to Parliament.

This he said was a generation of people who are mindful that it was not about pleasing their boss but pleasing the multitudes by elevating them from poverty and catapulting them  to the first World status that the President often spoke about.

“So nobody is interested in managing anybody, what we want is prudent use of resources, fight on poverty and corruption, food security, shelter for our people among others, nobody needs to be difficult and nobody needs to be reminded to deliver on these things,” he said. ENDS