03 Nov 2019

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi says government will continue to fight corruption in an effort to achieve national objectives and enhance service delivery.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony after taking oath as the fifth president, he said government would thus put in robust, and transparent institutional frameworks that would be free from corruption.

He said since ascending to the highest office in April last year, he fought against the menace of corruption, hence the intent to continue doing so.

“I therefore wish to emphasise that my government will put in place measures and mechanisms, through the application of best practices of good governance to ensure that corruption is defeated,” he noted.

He said the Ethics and Integrity Directorate was being established to operationalise the law passed on the Declaration of Assets and Liabilities.

In the same vein, he said to reiterate that, he was committed to the rule of law because that would enhance confidence and send message to Batswana that the law must be followed.

On one hand, President Masisi said as part of government’s efforts to deepen the spirit of therisanyo, there would be a comprehensive review of Botswana’s Constitution which would take stock of the changed social, political and economic landscape over the last 53 years.

He said engagements and consultations necessary to start the ball rolling would be initiated soon after the full formation of government.

He indicated that he remained resolute in his commitment to create a more inclusive Botswana.

With regards to human wildlife conflict and conservation efforts, he said the country had experienced high incidences of human-wildlife conflict particularly relating to elephants due to their significant increase in population.

That, he said largely reflected the success of Botswana’s conservation strategies, where for example, approximately 40 per cent of the country’s land mass in the form of national parks, game reserves and Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs), was currently set aside for wildlife conservation.

However, President Masisi said despite land reservation, elephant population had increased beyond capacity of the game reserves to encroach into human settlement areas and hence the conflict.

To that end, he said government would continue to commit to outcomes that would set the tone for conserving and managing our wildlife, and elephants in particular, while ensuring achievement of sustainable benefits through contribution to rural livelihoods and tourism growth.

He said citizens would play more meaningful and economically empowering role as the tourism base was being diversified.

With regards to violence against women and children, he said government would not rest until the scourge was brought under control through a combination of strategies that would include strengthened legislation, policing and effective mobilisation for community involvement. ENDS