17 Nov 2022

 Government is stepping up efforts to reform the country’s economy, and decentralise services to ensure ordinary Batswana have better access to services that can transform their lives, Member of Parliament for Mmadinare Dr Kefentse Mzwinila has said.

Adding his contribution to the debate on the State-of-the Nation Address on Wednesday, Dr Mzwinila also Minister of Lands and Water Affairs said government had been proactive in efforts to ensure Botswana moves towards the high-income status envisioned by the National Vision 2036. 

“Government is proactively stepping up efforts to reform the economy. This is accomplished by increasing industrialisation, developing value chains, diversifying and beneficiating our resources. To this end, government is collaborating with key continental financial institutions to expand our funding alternatives,” Dr Mzwinila said. 

He said this would avail support to the development of projects in agriculture, mining, manufacturing, tourism including the development of Special Economic Zones and strategic road and rail infrastructure to foster economic growth and avail employment opportunities. 

Dr Mzwinila said his ministry was involved through projects at the Chobe-Zambezi Water Transfer Scheme and Glen Valley as well as through land servicing countrywide. 

Furthermore, he said his ministry was accelerating land allocation countrywide and ensuring better provision of water to communities. 

He said government has explored various sources to improve the water situation in the country, including the Lesotho Highlands, Namibia, Chobe-Zambezi and Wellfield expansion sources to boost domestic water supply. 

The North-South Water Carrier as well as the Mmamashia, Gamononyane and Lobatse waterworks would improve the supply, he said.  

He added that government was also working on the supply and transmission of water in Maun, the distribution pipelines of Molepolole, Kanye, Gaborone, Serowe and the North East as well as the wastewater reclamation of Kanye, Molepolole and Moshupa.

Mr Mzwinila also lauded efforts to ensure more efficient planning and the decentralisation of services. 

“Efforts to establish the National Planning Commission are commendable since this entity combines the functions of the National Strategy Office, Vision 2036 Council Secretariat, Government Implementation Coordination Unit, and the planning function of the then Ministry of Finance and Economic Development,” he said. 

He added that with government authorising the promotion of 22 subordinate authorities to fully-fledged councils, this would also give consideration to the current structure of land boards to bring services closer to people and enhance local response. Ends