16 Dec 2020

Government should prioritise constitutional provision for local government authorities to further empower them on prompt decision making and service delivery.

The sentiments were expressed by Tonota MP Mr Pono Moatlhodi when debating the Local Government (amendment) Bill, 2020 (Bill No.24 of 2020).

The objective of the Bill is to cause a vacancy in the seat of an elected member of a council where the member resigns from a political party which they were a member of at a time of their election to the council.

Similarly, the proposed amendment seeks to cause a vacancy in the seat of an elected member who having been elected to the council as a candidate who was not a member of a political party becomes a member of a political party.

Mr Moatlhodi said more efforts should rather be channelled towards capacitating local governments authorities to serve the public with merit and reverence.

He said local governance needed to be resourced since councillors directly interacted with the community on daily basis. “Ward councillors play a pivotal role in coordinating and articulating socio-economic issues in their communities.

It will not be appropriate to restrict their political alliance with a Bill that will hinder their role in service delivery,” he said.

Ghanzi South MP, Mr Motsamai Motsamai also dismissed the Bill, highlighting that the proposed amendments were not in the interest of Batswana or Councillors as both concerned parties were not consulted before the amendments.

Mr Motsamai said councillors should not be deprived the right to freedom of association by passing a legislation that would restrict them from changing political parties arbitrarily.

He said it was disturbing for Parliament to consider amending the Bill on councillor’s floor-crossing before paying attention to issues of councillor’s welfare. He, therefore, highlighted the need to prioritise establishing a pension retirement fund for councillors.

He said many councillors retired to destitution at the end of their terms despite immense contribution to their communities.

He said it was heartbreaking that former councillors who had served with so much prestige during their incumbency ended up being enrolled on government social welfare programmes.

In his contribution, the Francistown South MP, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi, dismissed the Bill and called for more consultation with the public.
 Mr Mmolotsi challenged the government to review the statutory instrument that bestowed the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development with the powers to nominate councillors.

He contended that the current process of nominating councillors was an anti-democratic practice as it appeared to reward the ruling party loyalists.

He indicated that the practice should be urgently reviewed or abolished.

Mr Mmolotsi argued that said the powers vested on the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, which had been in practice post-independence no longer served the current political landscape.

The system at the time, he said served its purpose as local administration was staffed with candidates who had the expertise, something which he said was no longer a challenge.  

He said there should also be a quota set aside for the disabled and women representatives.  Mr Mmolotsi complained of the absence of guidelines on how the minister should exercise the power to appoint nominated councillors.

Gaborone Central, legislator Mr Tumisang Healy said it was important for legislators to surrender their seat when moving to a new political party as the essence of party affiliation to voters could not be overlooked. 

He said further highlighted that the provison of the Bill was not new to Parliament as the 7th Parliament adopted a motion to that effect which was also endorsed by former leaders of opposition parties.

Thamaga Kumakwane MP, Mr Palelo Mataosane supported the amendments saying they were done in the interest of the electorates.

In support of the Bill, Molepolole  North MP, Mr Oabile Regoeng indicated that it was appropriate for councillors to relinquish their seat when floor-crossing since they contested the seat on a political party ticket. He said this was an indication that electorates aligned a candidate with a party symbol when voting. ENDS