10 Feb 2022

Members of Parliament have started responding to the 2022/23 budget speech, with Specially Elected MP Dr Unity Dow requesting that funds be used for intended purposes.

Airing her views on the proposed budget on Wednesday,  Dr Dow said her main concern were acts of corruption.
She however welcomed the rationing of State Owned Enterprises, saying Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA), Botswana Housing Corporation (BHC) and the National Development Bank (NDB) should not be privatised as they offered crucial services to Batswana.

MP Dow further said she was concerned that local authorities had been awarded limited funds and she wondered how they were supposed to raise their own funds.
She also said the health sector could be outsourced, with private pharmacies offering medication to the nation as currently the Central Medical Stores (CMS) was failing.
Further, she said, government could take advantage of available slots in private schools to ease congestion in public facilities.

For his part, Shashe West legislator, Mr Fidelis Molao said the budget proposals were in line with the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) manifesto.
He said the infrastructure development, information and communications technology and the promotion of renewable energy were all covered in the 2019 BDP manifesto.
He  said this showed commitment by the government to improve the lives of Batswana as shown by the number of water projects being undertaken across the country.
He said majority of villages in his constituency were now connected to major dams.

MP Molao, who is also the Minister of Basic Education, said there was hope for economic recovery as displayed by a total budget of P75 billion.

He welcomed a P100 increment given to pensioners and Ipelegeng employees, adding that public officers’ salaries could not be increased due to budgetary constraints.
The legislator welcomed infrastructure developments in the rural areas and said this would improve the welfare of the villagers.
He further said they were ready for police stations to be constructed in Sebina and Marapong.

He welcomed the budget, saying it would help absorb 3 000 temporary teachers on permanent basis. ENDS