12 Jul 2022

The constitution should allow intersex persons the right to choose the gender that they wish to be identified with, once they attain the age of majority, .

Gaborone Bonnington South resident Ms Ntebaleng Kedumele told the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the Review of the Constitution on Monday that it was improper for parents and health personnel to assign sex to  babies born with both male and female sex organs.

“Bana ba ba tlang ba tlhakantse bong a ba seka ba tseelwa ditshwetso kwa sepatela motsadi e le gone a mmelegang, a ditlankana tsa bone di kwalwe fela gotwe Gender Non-Sex.

Ngwana yo fa a setse a tla go fatlhoga go nna thata mo go ene ka motsadi o a bo a ne a setse a mo tseetse tshwetso ya gore ke mosimane kgotsa mosetsana,” she said. Ms Kedumele, who represented Bophirima ward residents, also asked that suspects in Gender-Based Violence (GBV), threat-to-kill and those accused of sexual violence against children cases be disqualified from bail.

She said since GBV and threats to kill often resulted in perpetrators actually carrying out their intentions, it was vital that stringent measures were put in place to curb the offenses.

Another resident Mr Moagakgotla Masilonyane submitted that ballot papers should be counted at polling stations, to enhance transparency.  

He further requested that the dispensation for the nomination of councillors and specially elected Members of Parliament be discontinued as it no longer served the purpose initially intended.

Ms Rhodah Sekgororoane told the commission that with efforts previously made to improve women’s representation at both local authority level and in parliament having failed, women politicians now looked to the constitution to turn around their plight.

She proposed therefore that the constitution should have a provision for a 50 per cent women representation in councils and parliament.

“Our democracy cannot be said to be complete in the absence of women in positions of leadership within the political landscape,” she said.

 Ms Theresa Hirschfeld also shared concerns that the low level of women’s representation was worrying and needed to be addressed.

Mr Tlhakulagae Lenkokame proposed for the law to not treat non-governmental organisations and the church as businesses as they were not profit-making.

Further, he proposed that the clergy be recognised by law as they played an integral role of holding individual community members and communities themselves together through provision of social support and spiritual counseling.

Yet another resident, Ms Rhodah Mudanga said she was hopeful that the ongoing constitutional review would result in the betterment of the standard of living of ordinary Batswana.

“A e re fa re tlhabolola molao-motheo jaana, le rona batho a re tlhabololwe.

Bontsi jwa Batswana re mo lehumeng.  A setshaba sa Botswana le sone se tlhabololwe jaaka go tlhabololwa melao jaana.” BOPA