11 May 2022

The Setswana dictum: Mmualebe o buwa la gagwe gore mona-lentle a letswe was yesterday echoed several times by Kgosi Duncan Segotsi when welcoming the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the Review of the Constitution of Botswana in Mahalapye kgotla.

In his easy-going poise and careful choice of words, Kgosi Segotsi encouraged residents and Batswana in general to rally behind review of the Constitution.

The idea to holistically review the document for the first time since independence, he said, was a step in the right direction.

He called for establishment of the ministry of tribal administration arguing that the department deserved to be a stand-alone entity due to its cumbersome nature.

“The department of tribal administration needs to be transformed into a full-fledged ministry,” Kgosi Segotsi stated.

Mokoswane village representative, Ms Oshiwa Ketlogetswe, stated that the Cnstitution should upgrade the portfolio of the headmen of arbitration so that its holder could preside over cases.

If given green light, the developmentd could help reduce the backlog of cases prevalent at the customary courts.

On floor-crossing Ms Ketlogetswe wanted pertinent political debates such as floor crossing to be subjected to referendum.

Mr Kgolegelo Otimilwe of Kudumatse called for the empowerment of dikgosi to reign in order within the society.
Palaroad residents, through their spokesperson, Mr Modiri Otsetswe, called for cancellation of the immunity clause enjoyed by the head of state.

“We also want the Constitution to dictate that prosecution of stock theft be made the prerogative of the kgotla,” he said.

The commission also learned through Mr Mogae Kgethang that residents of Setsile wanted the supreme law of the land to bind the government to take its people through the paces of the basics of the Constitution.

He stated further that the residents of Setsile wanted the Constitution to categorically state and confer autonomous powers to both the legislature and judiciary to ensure their independence.

Ms Betty Dithong of Mahalapye said the Constitution should force government to name some of the sports complexes after heroines who gave their all in their quest to develop Botswana.

“A molao-motheo o dire gore dingwe tsa di sports complex di bidiwe ka bangwe ba bomme ba dinatla ba ba diretseng lefatshe le ka botswapelo,” she remarked.

Mr Gabriel Moeng wanted para-legal entities such as the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to be independent.

He would for instance like the IEC to be the one that announces polling day for general elections.
Similarly, Mr Moeng argued that the appointment of ambassadors should be the sole responsibility of the Directorate of Public Service Management (DPSM).

Former MP for Mahalapye East, Ms Botlogile Tshireletso said the rights of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender must be protected by the Constitution.

Also, Ms Tshireletso suggested that government should foot the bill for DNA testing for parents who were conflicted about the paternity of the child, but could not afford the steep prices charged for the procedure.

Mr Sammy Hosea decried the ease with which foreign nationals procured land and advocated for a provision in the Constitution to bar the development.

“There is also a need to establish a citizen economic empowerment within the constitution that gives natives a higher economic stake in their land,” he said, adding that the law should force foreign nationals who did business in Botswana to spend 90 per cent of their proceeds in the local economy and be allowed to repatriate with the remain 10 per cent. ENDS