19 Nov 2013

The Assistant Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, Mr Gaotlhaetse Matlhabaphiri has refuted allegations that Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) activists are responsible for arranging the Presidential walkabouts.

He informed Parliament on November 18 that the walkabouts were arranged by the President’s private office in liaison with affected stakeholders. “These walkabouts are not arranged by the activists of BDP as the question suggests,” Mr Matlhabaphiri stated in response to a question by Francistown South MP, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi.

Mr Mmolotsi had asked why BDP activists, not the district commissioner, were given the responsibility to arrange for Presidential walkabouts. He also wanted to know if the walkabouts were budgeted for this financial year, to which the assistant minister answered that they were catered for under the President’s internal travel budget.

“Estimates for the entire planned walkabouts for this financial year translate to around P320 000. So far a third of the programmed walkabouts still remain to be undertaken” the assistant minister said. Ends