19 Nov 2019

Central District Coordinator under the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture Development (MYSCD), Mr Pako Sikuku says Bogosi is the oldest continuous institution in Botswana and has played a significant role in the establishment of the republic.

Speaking at a ceremony where MYSCD employees and other stakeholders were taught about Bogosi and the functions of Kgotla in Serowe on November 18, Mr Sikuku said Bogosi has contributed immensely to the good governance of the country.

He said it had promoted and coordinated grassroots initiatives, reinvigorated mephato and the spirit of volunteerism, that historically characterised traditions of Botswana.

He said culture represented a unique, dynamic and irreplaceable body of values, traditions and languages, and was a critical ingredient of nation building and attainment of national cohesion.

He said Batswana would be recognised by their cultural heritage and identity, adding that Botswana would maintain institutions that promoted cultural and traditional practices to achieve national objectives of an inclusive and equal opportunity nation.

Mr Sikuku stated that culture enabled communities to live freely, practice and celebrate their diverse cultures and it needed to be preserved to promote cultural heritage through research and documentation.

He further said Bogosi contributed to Botswana’s democratic values hence traditional value system, adding that ‘such values could be critiqued due to globalisation, as accompanied by the re-arrangement and reformulation of social order and social organisation’.

He said Bogosi had played and continued to play an important role in promoting peace, democracy and political stability in Botswana.

He said the administrative work concerning the village was done at the kgotla in the village, hence in each village there was one kgotla and many dikgotlana, while the kgosi was the ex-officio member of all government issues.

Meanwhile, the employees elected their kgosi and his vice, a police sergeant and secretaries, with the objective to solve minor issues that occur in their workplace, before they are referred to department management for resolution.

Mr Kgololo Ndubo was elected kgosi assisted by Mr Father Maniki. Ends