17 Feb 2021

The government should prioritise constructing the Trans-Kalahari Railway that would connect Botswana to the Namibian sea port, Ghanzi South Member of Parliament, Mr Motsamai Motsamai has said.

Adding his contribution to the continuing Budget Speech debate at the National Assembly on Tuesday, Mr Motsamai said the railway had long been proposed, and it was now time for its implementation.

Mr Motsamai said the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic had underscored the need to lessen reliance on South African sea ports for the import and export of Botswana goods.

He said a Trans-Kalahari railway line moving across Botswana’s Kgalagadi and Ghanzi districts, connected to the Namibian sea would improve the country’s trade routes.

Mr Molebatsi also called on government to develop an agricultural bank that would focus on supporting farming activities and assist in commercialising agribusiness.

He also suggested that road networks linking farming areas to markets should be improved and that there should be service centres, where agricultural produced could be stored before they are sent to larger markets.

Mr Motsamai complained about an increase in taxation, Botswana Housing Corporation (BHC) rentals, as well as Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) and Water Utilities (WUC) rates, stating those would erode the spending power of the poor.

Given the current economic climate, MP Motsamai said the poor should be given a break from increased levies and instead funds should be sourced from taxing large corporations and the rich.

He said ordinary people would be disadvantaged by the tax on sugary products, saying alternatively the tax should have been passed onto tobacco products.

Mr Motsamai complained about congestion in Gantsi South schools, something he urged the Ministry of Basic Education to attend to. Ends