10 Jul 2022

 Councils should not only be made autonomous, but should also be run by boards of directors to improve efficiency.

Former Gaborone mayor Mr Father Maphongo said this during a Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the Review of the Constitution consultative meeting with Bonnington North residents Friday July 8.

“A batho ba e leng gore ba na le boitsaanape e nne bone board ya dikhansele go sa reye go re makhanselara ga ba nne teng,” he said.

Mr Maphongo also proposed that recruitment of heads of oversight institutions should be done by the president and approved by legislators. 

With regard to the current system of appointing the president, he said it worked well for Botswana and should not be changed. 

Another resident, Mr Force Thema proposed there should only be two terms for MPs and councillors.  “A molao-motheo o ba neele go etelela makgetho a le mabedi fela go sa kgathalesege gore setshaba se a ba rata kgotsa jang,” he said. 

He also suggested there should be a law making it mandatory for management of state-owned enterprises to account to the nation, arguing that a lot of financial public resources were channelled toward the entities. 

Mr Ookeditse Malesu spoke against what he saw as disregard for indigenous churches and traditional doctors. 

He proposed the law should recognise them as important contributors in the development of the nation.  

Mr Malesu also suggested that mayors and council chairpersons should be given executive powers. 

Mr Bono Morapedi said the law should clamp down on escalating ritual murders. 

He complained the law was too silent on the matter and called for a provision whereby those found in possession of human parts would be prosecuted. 

On the appointment of cabinet, Mr Arthur Matshameko suggested that members should be people with special skills. 

He also proposed that indigenous knowledge should be incorporated into the school curriculum for the benefit of all and its preservation. 

Ms Martha Matshameko’s primary concern was inconsistent rentals that Batswana, especially those in cities had to pay. 

She suggested therefore, that there was need for the government to intervene in the matter by regulating rentals. 

“Tlhotlhwa ya khiriso a e laolwe, ke mokang re berekelang phiriso hela mo Botswana,”she said. 

While he commended the President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi for his resolve to review the constitution, Mr Richard Pule argued the constitution of Botswana conferred too much power on a sitting president. 

Citing the commission, he said only the president would make the final decision about what happened to the people’s views. 

That, he said, needed to change. 

“Let us also have a clause for impeaching a sitting president if there is need,” he said. 

On electoral systems, Mr Moses Oabile wanted the country to develop a hybrid of both First Past the Post and Proportional Representation, arguing it would consolidate Botswana’s democracy. 

Representatives of the majority of the wards in Bonnington North wanted the constitution to empower dikgosi; set up headmen in each ward, have old age pension age reduced to 60, have dikgosi incorporated into land boards and reinstatement of corporal punishment.

However, the people of Moselewapula ward through their representative, Mr Thabo Mothulatshipi said they wanted direct election of the president and a review of the death penalty. Ends