15 Apr 2024

Minister for State President, Mr Kabo Morwaeng has yesterday tabled, for first reading, the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2024 (Bill No. 4 of 2024). Speaker of National Assembly, Mr Phandu Skelemani told the virtual Parliament that in terms of Standing order 72.4, the Bill stood referred to Ntlo Ya Dikgosi for the traditional leaders to make their input before it goes for the second reading.

He said before the Bill goes for the second reading, members of Ntlo Ya Dikgosi would be given 30 days to present their submissions.

The object of the Bill is to amend the Constitution of Botswana following government’s approval of some recommendations of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the Review of the Constitution of Botswana. Accordingly, the constitution has provision for some bills to be referred to Ntlo Ya Dikgosi following their introduction to the National Assembly.

On December 17, 2021, President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi appointed 18 persons as members of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the Review of the Constitution of Botswana, whose tour of the country for citizen consultations, together with a five-member secretariat, started on February 2, 2022 and ended on July 12, 2022.

Still in July 2022, the Commission heard submissions from the civil society in Gaborone before the compilation of the report, which was presented to President Masisi on September 20, 2022. Ends