18 Dec 2025

Vice President Ndaba Gaolathe has commended staff of Parliament of Botswana and Ntlo Ya Dikgosi for their selflessness and unwavering commitment to serving the nation.

Mr Gaolathe made the remarks during a Christmas party hosted by the staff in Tlokweng on December 17.

He thanked Parliament staff for their dedication to strengthening Botswana’s democracy and for fostering unity as the year drew to a close. “Thank you for making yourselves available for us to lead. True leadership is a thankless job. You made sacrifices, including precious family time. The world may not always say thank you, but God sees you,” said the Vice President.

Several Members of Parliament, dikgosi and other notable public figures attended the event, underscoring the spirit of unity and national pride.

Mr Gaolathe also acknowledged the contributions made in Parliament by a number of MPs, including Leader of the Opposition, Mr Dumelang Saleshando, whom he praised for offering alternative views and opinions in the House.

“I want to thank him for his vision and the way he does things. He stands tall and has the courage to express his beliefs. This is a country that embraces differences of opinion,” Mr Gaolathe said.

For his part, Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse applauded staff for navigating significant changes and thriving throughout the year.

“Our commitment to excellence and our capacity to work together has been the cornerstone of our success. Our focus on high performance has yielded impressive results despite limited resources, outdated systems and structural challenges,” he said.

Mr Keorapetse noted that through collective effort, staff had achieved several milestones demonstrating a strong commitment to reform.

“The primary aim has been to strengthen parliamentary governance and oversight, ultimately improving independence, democracy and development. These achievements were made possible through strategic partnerships, for which we remain humble and grateful,” he added.

He further observed that 2024 marked 60 years of parliamentary democracy in Botswana, describing Parliament as the bedrock of the country’s democratic system over the past six decades.

He emphasised the importance of acknowledging the enduring contributions of MPs and Dikgosi, past and present, who have worked tirelessly in service of the nation. ENDS