07 May 2026

Parliament is forging a transformative partnership with Lucara Botswana, to amplify heritage management as part of marking 60 years commemoration of Botswana’s Independence.

This was said during a courtesy by the Lucara Botswana managing director, Ms Naseem Lahri on the Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse in Parliament on Wednesday.

Mr Keorapetse said there was need for the two institutions to collaborate as they both deal with sustainability issues. 

With a strong emphasis on transforming Parliament, he stressed on the need for heritage management. 

He said a lot ought to be done by the partnership to make a lasting impact in preserving and promoting heritage.

Regarding sustainability, he said Parliament promoted it within legislative frameworks and further said he envisioned a paperless Parliament to improve the quality of parliamentary work.

In that regard, he said Lucara Botswana was an important partner in the journey toward transformation of Parliament. 

Mr Keorapetse also highlighted his vision to transform the National Assembly into a high-performing institution.

He said Parliament should be independent, women voices amplified, legal administrative reforms introduced and training initiatives to capacitate legislatures and Parliament staff.

“We intend to do more to end up having a well capacitated and independent Parliament,” he said. 

He said commemorating 60 years of Botswana’s Independence will also among others include a symposium, commemorative documentary and award ceremony for those who have made notable impact in Botswana’s democracy.

Ms Lahri rallied behind the idea to collaborate with Parliament, adding that Sustainable Development Goal No. 5 aimed to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls by 2030.

As a proponent for empowerment of women, she said transformation of Parliament was important, adding that women empowerment in the space of politics was essential.

Ms Lahri agreed that there was potential to collaborate in many ways adding that Parliament played a role in crafting legislations for responsible mining and further agreed that a lot should be done to promote heritage.

Regarding the 60 years commemoration of Independence, she said Lucara Botswana was working on an initiative to ignite the linkage between the Gaborone City Council, main mall and Parliament.

“We want to ignite the walk of the mayor and this forms part of the heritage perspective with collaboration of Parliament,” she said. ENDS