30 Jul 2020

All 15 Members of Parliament (MPs) from the official opposition Umbrella For Democratic Change (UDC), and the three from the minority Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) on July 29 chose to boycott parliamentary proceedings.

Acting in solidarity with the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Dumelang Saleshando after he was handed a one week suspension from partaking in the National Assembly business the previous day, the 18 opposition MPs decided to sit out National Assembly sitting for a day.

Communicating their decision at a press conference held at Boipuso Hall where Parliament meeting is currently held in order to comply with COVID-19 health protocols, Mr Saleshando, Opposition Whip Mr Pono Moatlhodi and Minority Leader from the BPF, Mr Tshekedi Khama said they felt the decision  to suspend Mr Saleshando was unfair.

They said that a caucus meeting of all opposition MPs held on Wednesday morning resolved to implement the one day boycott in protest, with only the Alliance for Progressives (AP) choosing not to partake in the stay away, which meant Francistown South MP, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi attended the day’s proceedings.

Also, the opposition collective, this time backed by the AP, also chose to write a letter to the Speaker, Mr Phandu Skelemani to communicate their displeasure with the manner with which he had been conducting parliamentary business.

Mr Saleshando said they cited the handling of his suspension as the latest example of what the opposition perceived to be the Speaker’s lack of impartiality in chairing parliamentary proceedings.

Other examples, Mr Saleshando said, was an instance whereby the Speaker chose not to afford Palapye MP, Mr Onnetse Ramogapi the chance to speak during the April emergency meeting of Parliament, and more recently, Mr Skelemani not giving Gantsi South MP, Mr Motsamai Motsamai a similar opportunity to comment.

The Speaker’s choice of words in preempting that those opposition MPs would have little weight to contribute to the discussion at hand was condescending, Mr Saleshando said.

Mr Saleshando said that he had believed that the evidence he had presented to the Speaker in connection with allegations of corrupt awarding of government tenders was concrete, but Mr Skelemani had refused outright to accept it.

In order to set a precedent for future parliamentary conduct, Mr Skelemani should have obliged when Mahalapye East MP, Mr Yandani Boko rose to request the Speaker to explain what exactly would constitute proper evidence and what did not, Mr Saleshando said.

The Maun West legislator also revealed to the press that the opposition had decided to challenge his one week suspension at the courts of law.

The parliamentary opposition said they would return to Parliament after the one day boycott, and communicate in writing to the Speaker that they had appointed Opposition Whip, Mr Moatlhodi to serve as the acting Leader of the Opposition in Mr Saleshando’s one week absence.

To fill the gap left by Mr Moatlhodi for that week’s duration, Serowe North MP, Mr Baratiwa Mathoothe of the BPF would serve as the acting chief whip, the opposition leaders said. ends