28 Jul 2022

A ministry should be established to safeguard the interests and rights of the elderly segment of the population. 

This development, Ms Rachel Letsatle of the Botswana Civil Society Pensioners Association said would put issues of the welfare of the elderly on a pedestal and ensure that the older members of society enjoyed better protection of the law. 

In her submissions to the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the Review of the Constitution on Wednesday, Ms Letsatle said issues affecting the elderly lacked government attention hence the need for a ministry set up to specifically deal with them. “If we can have all these other ministries, why can’t we have one that is focused on the elderly? Remember that these are the people who have worked hard for this country,” she said. 

Ms Letsatle further requested for the enactment of legislation that would speak to the welfare of the elderly as was the case with children, who had laws specific to them.  Moreover, she asked the law to compel children to take care of their parents the same way it enjoined them (parents) to care for and provide for the former. 

Another representative of the association Mr Johannes Tsumake concurred on the need to have in place policies and programmes aimed at protecting the rights of the elderly. 

Saying that the time had come for the constitution to also protect the rights of the elderly, Mr Tsumake said it was disappointing to see senior citizens leading a life of marginalisation. 

He said many workers were retiring into destitution due to a lack of financial security. 

“Our elderly work hard during their years of service, but it is sad to often see some of them get dispossessed of their property by banks because they can’t service their mortgages. 

This often happens because of lack of financial security,” he said, and asked for the law to address this. 

Mr Tsumake in addition requested government to note the social isolation as well as the abuse that characterised the daily lives of some older members of the community and asked for measures to be put into place to mitigate those. 

“Social isolation and elder abuse are rampant in this category of people. The law should therefore move in to protect the rights and welfare of the senior citizen.” 

Also advocating the upward review of the old age pension to adequately cushion the elderly from the hardships of life, Mr Tsumake further proposed that the age of eligibility to receive the pension be reduced to 60. Ends