21 Aug 2022

 Minister for State President, Mr Kabo Morwaeng has tabled the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2022, which seeks to amend the Constitution to increase the number of elected Members of Parliament from 57 to 61.

Presenting the bill for second reading on Wednesday, Mr Morwaeng said  the number of elected MPs was last increased in 2002 from 40 to 57. 

He also noted that the delimitation commission subsequent to the 2012 population census only re-aligned constituency boundaries to the population quota to ensure equity across constituencies.

“From the delimitation report submitted in February 2013, the commission reported that it had done everything possible within its power to re-align the constituency boundaries to ensure that the population of each constituency is nearly as equal to the population quota as is reasonably practicable. In so doing, the commission was not merely complying with the constitutional imperative, but was upholding an equitable principle that equal numbers of people should ideally have equal representation,” he explained.

Furthermore, the minister said the 2013 delimitation commission did not increase the number of elected MPs since it was Parliament’s responsibility to determine such and subsequently the number of constituencies.

Mr Morwaeng also informed MPs that as per the constitutional provisions, the bill was tabled before Ntlo ya Dikgosi on August 12 and that members supported it as it was and endorsed the proposed amendment.

Selebi-Phikwe West MP, Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse said the number of elected MPs should be increased by 20 to ensure that constituencies were reasonably sized in order for MPs and councillors to deliver effectively. He said the 2022 population census results were not a true reflection since some people were not counted.

Mr Keorapetse further underscored the need for the delimitation exercise to be carried by an independent entity. “It is important that the delimitation exercise is undertaken by an organisation that is independent from the BDP-led government to ensure that they fairly consider factors such as the area of each constituency,” he said.

MP for Francistown South, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi said although he acknowledged that there was need to increase the number of constituencies, the delimitation commission was supposed to be informed by the population census.

“The Botswana Constitution is clear that after the national census there shall be a delimitation commission to consider the constituency boundaries looking at the population numbers. I, therefore, do not understand what informed the increase by four constituencies since the delimitation commission should be informed by the population census,” he said.

Lentsweletau/Mmopane MP, Ms Nnaniki Makwinja supported the bill, arguing that most constituencies had not only grown in population, but were also vast areas. She said MPs had to travel long distances to reach their constituents.

“The delimitation exercise should target constituencies that are vast in area and also have a high population for MPs and councillors to effectively deliver,” she said.

MP for Kgalagadi North, Ms Talita Monnakgotla also supported the bill, saying it was important to increase the number of elected MPs for effective service delivery.

“Constituency boundaries go hand-in-hand with service delivery by various government departments, and therefore it is important to reduce the distance travelled within each constituency to ensure effective service delivery,” she said.

Ngami MP, Mr Kainangura Hikuama said the decision to amend the Constitution should be derived from various factors, some of which were undertaken through the inquiry into the constitutional review where Batswana expressed their views on how the Constitution should be.

“It is hard for me to support this bill when I do not have any valid reasons to support it.,” he asked.

Takatokwane MP, Mr Tshoganetso Leuwe supported the bill although he acknowledged that increasing constituencies by only four was not enough.He said it was hard to traverse most constituencies even though some had less than the 40 000 population quota. ENDS