04 Feb 2022

Bahurutshe of Mmankgodi yesterday came in droves to their kgotla to share their views and suggestions with the Presidential Commission of Enquiry on the Review of the Constitution of Botswana.

As expected, Commission Chairman and former Chief Justice Mr Maruping Dibotelo apprised the gathering about the mandate of the commission and what was expected of the community.

Similar to the previous day’s meeting in Gabane, there were more senior citizens than the middle-aged and youth in attendance. An interesting development was the commission’s provision of interpretation services for people with hearing disability throughout the meeting. 

When welcoming everyone, village chief, Kgosi Solofelang Thobega acknowledged the importance of the work of the commission.

Kgosi Thobega proposed that section 32 of the constitution, which speaks to the election of the president, should be reviewed.

He called for direct election of the president by members of the public as opposed to the current arrangement where he was elected by legislators. Mr Lesedi Dintwe, who represented a composite of ideas from Bahurutshe’s magosi of Manyana and Mankgodi and various village groups stood after the kgosi to among others, expound on the suggestion for direction election of the president.

“…we are convinced that the direct election of the individual occupying the highest office in the land will enhance accountability and efficiency of the presidency,” he said.

Mr Dintwe suggested that the individual so elected should be empowered to nominate to cabinet, and from outside parliament, individuals that he deemed competent to manage the affairs of government.

The community believed this would enhance the efficiency of both cabinet and parliament, as members of both bodies would be able to focus squarely on their duties without the encumbrances of the other office, he said.

Further, he held, the community wanted the constitution to do away with the election of specially elected members of parliament and councillors as the practice no longer served any notable purpose given most people who stood for political office were educated enough, and could play the roles that had to be assumed by the specially nominated.

Moreover, he said, resources that went into the dispensation could be redeployed for better use.

Bahurutshe also wanted mayors and council chairpersons to be given executive powers so they could direct council operations and be held accountable by voters.

With respect to oversight and independent institutions, Mr Dintwe said his community wanted to see institutions such as the IEC, DCEC, Ombudsman, the Speaker of Parliament, the Directorate of Intelligence and Security Services (DISS) and others, given complete autonomy to carry out their duties without fear or prejudice, perceived or real.

He explained that such institutions should be constitutionally entrenched to establish and conduct their own affairs in their chosen methods, including hiring of personnel, in pursuance of their mandate and should be accountable to a parliament select committee.

On delimitation of constituencies Mr Dintwe said: “The delimitation Commission should be maintained as a standing committee and not be dissolved immediately after submitting its report, as that suggests its work is unquestionable and beyond reproach”. As such queries’ or reviews of its recommendations became unviable, as the commission would have folded.

“We submit that a period of review be provided for before the committee may be dissolved,” he said, adding reference points for the commission should be categorically stated; and “considerate of the many factors that cause people to associate and form communities”.

For example, he said they were convinced that the Bahurutshe villages of Manyana, Mogonye, Mmankgodi and their farms should form into a constituency that would recognise and advocate long overdue development of their villages. 

Meanwhile, amongst that few women that spoke, was Ms Gabotlwaelwe Gobuamang who challenged section 41 (1) of the constitution. She submitted that the President should not be immune to prosecution, but should face the music like everybody else if there was reason to believe that he or she had committed crime.

One youth Ms Refilwe Mogampane suggested that bail time given to offenders before trial should be reduced. She said people could be on bail for up to five years even after committing such serious crimes as murder.

Regarding land allocation she said the constitution should allow children to inherit the place of deceased parents in land allocation waiting lists. “A go seka ga nna gore motho fa a tlhokafetse go ile jalo, mme a ne a na le bana ba ba ka neelwang lefatshe  leo,” she said.

Mr Odirile Monopi who has both speech and hearing disability submitted that theft in the community was on the rise and dikgosi should be given power to flog perpetrators, as was the case before. ENDS