07 Apr 2020

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi says he awaits Parliament to make a decision on his request to extend the state of emergency beyond 21 days prescribed by the Constitution.

Briefing the media after MPs general assembly preceeding an extraordinary meeting of Parliament tomorrow, President Masisi said they had a compulsive briefing with health professionals who advised government to escalate the COVID-19 response beyond the Public Health Act.

He said they discussed robust economic interventions by government beyond the proposed medical responses and will ask Parliament to endorse intentions to extend state of emergency to six months.

Dr Masisi expressed his willingness to uplift the state of emergency upon advice by experts that it would no longer be necessary.

He said he awaited Parliament's approval, adding that when his request is rejected, government would fall back to implementing the Public Health Act.

Parliament will convene tomorrow at 9am. It will be live on Botswana Television,  Radio Botswana and DailyNews Facebook page. Ends