19 Mar 2014

Parliament has been informed that it was necessary for the Vice President, Dr Ponatshego Kedikilwe to consult the nation and the people of Francistown following the adjournment of taking of poll for the Francistown West by-election.

The Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi said the Vice President undertook trips to consult the people of Francistown and to update them on this matter of national importance.

Consultation was done by the Vice President purely in the scope and course of his official duties, said Mr Masisi. He also confirmed that the President and Vice President were entitled to official transport at all times.

Responding to parliamentary questions asked by the MP for Francistown South, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi, the minister said the Vice President never went to Francistown in December 2013 to do party work.

Minister Masisi said the Vice President undertook two trips on January 23 and 26, to consult Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) members in Francistown West. He stated that the total cost of the two trips was approximately P22 692.00, being the transport cost for both the Vice President and security officers that accompanied him as well as for lodging.

In each of these trips, the Vice President was accompanied by a total of six civil servants, being security officers while the mode of transport used was road, he said. “The Vice President never gave a lift to any BDP member or anyone for that matter in his official transport during the said consultations,” said Mr Masisi.

MP Mmolotsi had asked the minister to state the total cost of the three trips undertaken by the Vice President to Francistown West constituency between December 2013 and January 2014 to consult BDP members.

He also wanted the minister to state the number of civil servants who accompanied the Vice President on these trips, the mode of transport used and whether the Vice President gave lift to any BDP member in his official transport during the said consultations. Ends