04 Apr 2022

Gudigwa village pastors committee has called for establishment of a ministry that will ensure the protection of faith-based organisations in the country.

Making submission before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into Review of the constitution on April 4, the committee’s representative, Mr Kefilwe Bombom noted that such a ministry would help to strengthen religious institutions as well as ensure protection of the right to worship.

The ministry, he said, should be headed by a religious minister who would represent the interests churches in cabinet and Parliament.

He said churches had come of age and were now collaborating with the government and different organisations to improve the well-being of communities, Mr Bombom reiterated that in building a nation that is united in diversity, all religions should be afforded equal rights and none should be marginalised or treated as inferior.

He also proposed that the constitution should have a section that promotes proper dress code in the society.

While he acknowledged it was a constitutional right that to wear what one chose, he argued that it was disturbing as some people’s dress was too indecent.

Mr Bombom also called for a representative of faith based organizations in Ntlo ya Dikgosi. Gudigwa Village Development Committee (VDC) vice chairperson,

Ms Onalenna Maburu decried rampant incidents of defilement and proposed that the envisaged constitution should ensure that rapists got life sentences.

Children who are victims of defilement, she said, were found to long-term negative effects such as low-esteem, depression and keeping poor social relationships. Ms Maburu further noted that bailout of perpetrators also worsened the situation.

“Dithubetse tseo fa di le ko toronkong botshelo jotlhe, go ka nna botoka ka jaana bana ba ka sala ba tshela ka tshosologo mo metseng” she said. She also proposed that the constitution should recognise witchcraft so that perpetrators could be punished.

Moreover, she called on the government to consider introducing incentives to recognize efforts made by VDCs.

She also underscored the need to empower bogosi and entrust dikgosi with the responsibility to allocate land. Land boards, she said, had failed the community as they took long to allocate plots.

Youth representative, Mr Boatametse Jengwe decried that they had plenty of land but they were not benefiting from it.

He argued that since Gudigwa was situated in the heart of the Okavango delta the government should consider allocating young people concessions for them to start income generating projects.

He said it was frustrating as their land benefited outsiders only.

“We are faced with the challenge of unemployment as young people.

We cannot effectively utilise our outskirts for survival even though our trust constitution has a clause that encourages us to utilize it for our benefit,” he added.

Bukakhwe Cultural Conservation Trust representative, Mr Collen Tsima said the constitution should support local trusts to benefit from their natural resources.

While he acknowledged Community Based Natural Resource Management policy (CBNRM), he said it was unfortunate that they were not benefiting from it.

The policy aims to promote rural development, in particular livelihood improvements and poverty reduction, and to conserve natural resources.

Mr Tsima noted that they had a lot to offer in terms of culture but they could not benefit from their rich culture and indigenous knowledge.

“Our culture is our intellectual property and we are doing our best to preserve it for the generations to come, but it is unfortunate as we cannot earn a living out of it.

The constitution should cater for locals to benefit from their prestigious resources,” he added. ENDS