24 Nov 2024

There is high expectation from across the political aisle in Parliament that the new Speaker of the National Assembly will dispatch his duties with due diligence, his top priority being the review of Parliament to ensure its independence.

This was mentioned by the Leader of Opposition, Mr Dumelang Saleshando when responding to the SONA on Thursday.

Mr Saleshando said that this was more so that Parliament adopted a motion 36 years ago, to urge government to ensure the independence of Parliament from Office of the President.

“This was supplemented by a study on the independence of Botswana Parliament through a task force led by the late Mr Bahiti Temane that recommended similarly,” he said.

Mr Saleshando said that it was a pity that both recommendations were never implemented, and that the executive still controlled Parliament.

“We hope that the Umbrella for Democratic Change will now change this, and you can count on the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) members of parliament to help in ensuring the independence of Parliament, otherwise the promise of a new Botswana would just be an illusion,” he said.

Mr Saleshando said that as the BCP, they expected President Advocate Duma Boko’s first SONA to address constitutional review as promised. He also said that the opposition represented 63 per cent of the total votes against 37 per cent of the ruling party, which meant that the opposition had to speak for the majority.

“As the opposition, our duty is to keep the ruling party in check, and that should not be confused with being against it. We are patriots before being party members,” he said and explained that the BCP would proudly exercise its duty of being the main opposition party, which included being an oversight organ that could hold the ruling party accountable.

“Keeping the ruling party in check includes coming up with alternative ideas,” he said.

Mr Saleshando therefore, urged the ruling party to ensure it implemented flagship pledges in its manifesto.

He however, commended President Duma Boko for laying out his first 100 days plan in office, and said that BCP would give him the space to implement it. Ends