22 Jun 2022

The Office of the Ombudsman must be brought closer to the people for effective delivery of its mandate.

Making submissions before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the Review of the Constitution in Tsetsebjwe yesterday, some Bobirwa residents proposed that district commissioners’ offices should be transformed into branches of the Office of the Ombudsman.

This, according to Mr Simeon Tshwene of Mathathane would enhance the office’s visibility and its accessibility.

It was a perspective shared by Mr Kenny Manyatsa, the representative for Motlhabaneng, Lentswelemoriti and Mathathane. Arguing that 16 year-olds were still minors to whom possession of an Omang card was unnecessary,

Mr Madome Manyeula of Tsetsebjwe suggested that identity cards be issued to people aged 18.

“Unlike 16 year-olds, those aged 18 can join the army and the police service; they can vote.

As for the 16 year-olds, just treat them as the minors that they are who have no use of an Omang card,” he said.

On an unrelated issue, Mr Manyeula asked for the discontinuation of sitting allowances for both Members of Parliament and councillors, saying since they drew monthly salaries, there was no justifiable reason why they also had to receive several allowances.

“Batho ba ba na le di-basic salary jaanong sitting allowance a e eme. Mapalamente gape ba nale le di-constituency allowance,” he said.  Through one Mr Jantlha Bojalwa, Moletemane residents made a handful of requests to the commission.

These included enactment of a law against unlawful possession of human body parts, as well as that for DNA testing to be offered for free in public health facilities, saying the prohibitive cost of the test often made difficult efforts to ascertain a child’s paternity whenever it was in question.

“Fa rraagwe ngwana a itatola ngwana, mmaagwe ngwana o tewa go twe ‘Duela bokana.’ Jaanong fa e le gore DNA mo kgomong ba veterinary ba e dira mahala, ke eng ya motho yone gotwe e duelelwe?” he asked in rhetoric, meaning DNA test for animals was offered for free, but the same could not be said for humans.

 In addition, they submitted that ministerial positions should be advertised, and the most competent individuals from the pool of candidates who would have applied selected to head the respective ministeries.

That, Mr Bojalwa said would ensure that the ministers possessed requisite skills sets as well as expertise that the work of their respective ministries required.

Representative for Tsetsebjwe Mr Daniel Mosesane submitted that since they were on government payroll, dikgosi should be transferable just like other public officers. 

The village’s residents, he said, also wanted capital punishment to be retained and that once sentenced to death, the convict should be executed within six months.

Tsetsebjwe resident, Mr Montwedi Makwati asked for the law to recognise the clergy in acknowledgement of its role in nation building and in holding communities together.

“A baruti ba akarediwe mo molao-motheong, kante go nne le lekgotla le le emetseng baruti kwa palamenteng. Batho ba ba botlhokwa ka gore tiro nngwe le nngwe fa e dirwa ba nna teng. Fa gotwe leso go tla moruti, le fa go sule ngaka ga go tle ngaka ya Setswana go tla moruti,” he added. Another Tsetsebjwe resident

Mr Abel Nkawana requested that the offence of threat to kill be expunged from Botswana’s laws to save men from constant unwarranted detentions.

He alleged that some people, particularly women and children, had a tendency to report male family members for the offense even over minor matters where any ‘threatening’ words uttered did not carry their literal meaning. BOPA