19 Jan 2021

 Traditional leaders have a significant role to play in the fight against Gender Based Violence (GBV), says Member of Parliament for Tonota, Mr Pono Moatlhodi.

Addressing Tonota traditional leaders this week, Mr Moatlhodi noted that traditional leaders were held in high esteem by Batswana, and that their views and opinion were respected.

He said the high increase in GBV cases in the country needed all stakeholders, including dikgosi, to join government in its efforts to fight the scourge.

“I am appealing to you to help fight the scourge,” he pleaded.

He said as a constitutionally recognised institution, bogosi’s role in the promotion of democracy and peace remained significant.

On other issues, Mr Moatlhodi said he was worried that Tonota residents did not plough their fields in numbers.

He appealed to those who had  ploughed to look after their crops and prevent livestock from destroying them.

The Tonota MP also called on pastoral farmers to take care of their animals and ensure that they did not destroy people’s crops.

Mr Moatlhodi also updated traditional leaders on COVID-19, saying the pandemic had derailed government’s development plan.

He said Gaborone was no longer the epicentre of the disease, as the virus has spread to other parts of the country.

He said the spread of the virus was fueled by people who did not adhere to COVID-19 protocols such as social distancing and wearing face masks.

For their part, traditional leaders thanked the MP for having seen it imperative to consult and brief them on pertinent issues.

They promised the MP that they would help government in the fight against GBV. 

Kgosi Dollars Madisakwana said some men were easily provoked by women,

Kgosi Pogisego Sekoko said he was a victim of GBV, but that he never landed a hand on his wife.

Kgosi Sekoko urged men to never take the law into their hands by beating their spouses or partners, saying it was an offence punishable by law.

On the spread of COVID-19, dikgosi said hunger drove some people, who were supposed to be on self-quarantine, to get out of their houses thereby increasing the chances of spreading the disease.

They appealed to government to reintroduce COVID-19 food baskets to address the situation.

Giving a vote of thanks, Kgosi Bokamoso Radipitse of Tonota complained of an alleged savingram that stripped the powers of headman of arbitration.  He said the savingram alledgedly barred headman of arbitration from presiding over cases of crops damaged by livestock.

He added that if that was the cases, it was an unwelcomed  development that needed to be reversed.

He said headmen of arbitration had been doing a good job in presiding over cases.

Kgosi Radipitse also appealed to government to revisit the Bogosi Act, particularly section 23, saying it discriminated against other dikgosi who were not on permanent and pensionable basis.

He said those who were not on permanent and pensionable basis were required to retire at 50 and thereafter work on contract basis whilst those who were permanent and pensionable worked until they attained the age of 80. Ends