28 Nov 2024

Botswana Democratic Party (BDP)’s role in Parliament as an opposition party will not merely be to criticise government, but to constructively engage and provide ideas that will shape the future of the country.

The statement was made by the leader of minority in Parliament, Mr Mabuse Pule when responding to the State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA) on Wednesday.

Mr Pule therefore, advised on the strengthening of institutions like the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC), but advised that equally important was ensuring that their effectiveness and impartiality were also assured.

“This will help them truly fight corruption as they will be able to act decisively. The BDP laid the foundation by creating institutional framework for anti-corruption, and it is something worth building on,” he said.

Mr Pule, who is also a Member of Parliament for Kgatleng East, cited the establishment of anti-corruption courts to augment limitations faced by existing agencies.

On economic diversification, he cautioned that it was not an overnight task, especially in sectors like manufacturing and renewable energy where partnerships with the private sector and investment in human capital were needed to drive the transformation.

He said that it was only unfortunate that the new administration did not detail the future of Botswana’s diamonds in the SONA.

Mr Pule however, commended the pledge by President Advocate Duma Boko to reform the civil service as timely as it showed aspirations for a professional and efficient public service that was able to serve people well.

He said that should however, be coupled with constitutional reforms as the civil service operated within the confines of governance systems rooted in the constitution, and that the BDP stood ready to contribute constructively to its realisation.

The UDC has positioned itself as an alternative to the BDP, the electorate is thereby looking forward to its alternative ideas, Mr Pule said and urged the party to do what was necessary for Batswana, including drawing inspiration from the past administration’s road map.

He expressed concerns on what he said were missed opportunities in the SONA on issues such as agriculture and food security, manufacturing and value added processing among others but promised that BDP would closely monitor the ruling party with hope that it honoured its pledges to the electorate with tangible steps.

“Botswana’s future hinges not just on bold promises, but delivering results that genuinely reflect the aspirations of its people,” he said. Ends