05 Oct 2022

There is need for transformation within government processes and structures to keep up with demands of modern times and Botswana’s population, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD), Mr Kgotla Autlwetse has said.

Minister Autlwetse said this when addressing the inaugural Botswana local government transformation symposium in Maun on Tuesday. 

The three-day symposium seeks to reflect on the progress attained in the first year of the ministry’s 2021-2025 Strategy and Transformation Plan (MSTP 2021-2025), which the minister is expected to officially launch together with the communications and transformation strategy with a new tagline, Batho Pele: Closer, Fatser, Better.

Mr Autlwetse said Botswana had changed over the years hence there was a need for modern systems that delivered results and high quality services to people.

“Transformation is an important part of the Reset Agenda, which is committed to more efficient government placing economic empowerment of citizens at the centre of Botswana’s economic growth,” he said.

He added that Batswana deserved effective and efficient services that responded to and addressed their needs.

“The social and economic viability of our rural communities is vital to keeping up the gains Botswana has made so far, therefore transformation will help revitalise local economies and improve people’s livelihoods,” the minister said.

Transformation required government systems that were aligned to modern and efficient best practices and be tracked and measured to determine their effectiveness, he added.

Mr Autlwetse highlighted that transformation was anchored on decentralisation which empowered local governments to handle local matters, leaving central government with policy formulation and enforcement.

“This national reform is critical as it seeks to achieve administrative expediency and enhance citizen’s participation by transferring decision making powers and resources to administrative districts and their people,” he said.

Furthermore, he said digitisation played a vital role in transformation to ensure the demands of modern times were met and therefore encouraged Batswana to use technology to access services.

He said Batswana would improve if offered services that made the most of the digital offerings that incorporated cutting-edge technology to reduce turnaround times and eliminated long journeys.

Mr Autlwetse highlighted that the core of the local government ministry was caring for Batswana which meant offering a social protection system as well as providing effective and efficient local services and infrastructure to the people.

That, he said, could be achieved through seamless process of working closely with other ministries, private sector and public. Giving a presentation on the MLGRD strategy and transformation projects UNDP consultant, Mr Paul van Hoof emphasised the need to empower local governments fiscally to implement their statutory functions autonomously and more effectively.

He said decentralisation was aligned to the Rest Agenda because it provided more effective and efficient service delivery through service providers.

Mr van Hoof also noted the need to demarcate concurrent functions between local government and sector ministries to avoid disputes and duplication of roles.

Also, he emphasised the need for the Constitution of Botswana to recognise and protect local government and further define the roles of local government within the constitution. The transformation symposium l ends today. Ends