21 Feb 2024

Member of Parliament for Kanye North, Mr Thapelo Letsholo has emphasised the importance of extending voting rights to individuals who will turn 18 during the calendar year.

Debating the 2024/25 budget speech in Parliament on Monday, Mr Letsholo said a policy should be implemented by government to allow the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to permit individuals who would reach the voting age during the election year to register for the upcoming elections.

“Currently, voter registration policies often limit eligibility to those who have already attained the legal voting age,” he said.

He added that the call for expanded voting eligibility aligned with broader efforts to enhance democratic practices and foster a more inclusive political landscape.

On other issues, Mr Letsholo commended government for the consideration of constructing a state-of-the-art public hospital in Kanye.

“This truly demonstrates government’s commitment to serving Batswana with the outmost care,” he said.

Regarding tourism, Mr Letsholo said vigorous strategies were necessary to formulate sustainable tourism policies in Kanye North for tourism management and conservation. “We have the Mmakgodumo Dam for example, and if given the opportunity to make use of this beautiful attraction in our own backyard, Batswana’s livelihoods could be enriched,” he said.

Addressing the Chema Chema Fund initiative, Mr Letsholo acknowledged its noble intentions, but cautioned about the challenges of entrepreneurship. “I suggest that aspiring entrepreneurs should be given opportunities to pursue their ventures, with provisions for those who may face setbacks to fail forward,” he said.

Meanwhile, the MP for Nkange constituency, Dr Never Tshabang underscored the urgent need for economic diversification, particularly in the pharmaceutical and medical equipment sectors.

“Currently government purchases medical equipment and medicines from outside the country since we do not have capacity to manufacture drugs and equipment locally,” he said.

He said the trend of an undiversified economy was worrisome and urged government to take decisive action to diversify the economy and reduce dependency on external sources for essential goods.

Dr Tshabang also expressed concern regarding government’s inability to implement successful initiatives that would benefit the ordinary Motswana.

“Government continues to introduce various initiatives which fail with the promise of uplifting its people’s livelihoods, but what guarantee do we have this time around that the Chema Chema fund will be successful?” he said.

On education, Dr Tshabang said the highest budget had been allocated to the sector but grappled with issues such as dilapidated classrooms and shortages of essential supplies like stationery.

Regarding health, he noted that a public hospital had not yet been built as promised in Tutume. “If new hospitals can be built in other areas of the country, why is there a delay in Tutume?” he asked.

He added that equitable allocation of resources should be implemented in all regions of the country. ENDS