25 Aug 2020

Display of a presidential portrait in any government office is for purposes of public information and interest.

The Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration, Mr Kabo Morwaeng, said this while responding to a question in Parliament on Monday.

He explained that display of the portrait in government offices was a tradition and international practice that also served as an expression of pride and respect for leader of the nation, adding that it was not sufficient for such portraits to be displayed in reception areas only.

He said it was not obligatory to display the presidential portraits in private properties such as shops, hotels and medical surgeries emphasising that displaying of the portrait was an expression of recognition of the presidency.

In addition, he said government sold  presidential portraits to individuals, government departments, private sector and educational institutions at a cost of P2 per portrait as a cost recovery measure.

Furthermore, Mr Morwaeng clarified that between March 2018 to date, 115 000 presidential portraits were printed and sold at a cost of P230 000.

He indicated that the portraits were in high demand following the inauguration ceremony of the Head of State, saying his ministry was in the process of sourcing quotations to print 10 000 more portraits.

Mr Morwaeng said display of the presidential portrait had no bearing or influence on judicial proceedings.

Member of parliament for Okavango, Mr Kenny Kapinga, had asked the minister to state basis for displaying of presidential portraits in every government building or office, whether it was  not sufficient to display such portraits in reception areas only  and if it was obligatory for private properties such as shops, hotels, medical surgeries to display such.

He also wanted to find out from Minister Morwaeng how many portraits had been printed and framed by government and at what costs and what the display of the portrait in court rooms meant. ENDS