10 Dec 2024

 It is vital that the ruling Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) turn the economy of the country around and align it with its manifesto.

According to Kgalagadi South legislator, Dr Micus Chimbombi, this will give the electorate a picture of the ruling party’s performance for the coming five years, which might determine whether it is given another lease.

“Obviously all our plans may not succeed, but putting them up for public scrutiny will help people judge whether our excuses are lame or genuine,” he said.

Dr Chimbombi, who is also the Minister of Lands and Agriculture, urged government to hasten educating Batswana on the difference between industrial hemp and dagga because failure to establish that clarity might lead to crippling of the industry even before it took off.

Concerning his constituency, Dr Chimbombi said that it was a concern that ever since independence, there had never been a specially nominated member of parliament from the area, nor has it ever produced an ambassador or high commissioner.
“There has even never been a hospital constructed in the area, save for a primary hospital in Tsabong which was converted from a health centre,” he said, and noted that that these were enough reasons to compel government to prioritise the area in terms of health facilities in the coming National Development Plan 12.

“We are also banking of the National Insurance Policy to entice the private sector to set up private clinics in the area,” he said.

Dr Chimbombi also said that it was a mismatch that Tsabong Brigade did not have any agriculture related courses until just recently, yet the area was renowned for small stock production.

He also decried lack of proper roads in the area, which he said was frustrating its economic prospects.

Bobirwa legislator, Mr Taolo Lucas in his debate, urged Batswana to make it a habit of changing government without fear if they felt it was not serving their interests.

He pleaded with the Speaker of the National Assembly and President Advocate Duma Boko to expedite changes such as the independence of Parliament and constitutional review.“I have known the two for a while, to know that they believe in these concepts,” said Mr Lucas.

As a constitutional lawyer, he said it was surprising that President Boko did not go into much detail in the SONA concerning the constitutional review. “So, we plead with the President that within six months, he should have detailed a roadmap on constitutional review, with notable areas such as direct election of the president and separation of powers,” he said.

Mr Lucas also urged the ruling party to tackle corruption as a matter of urgency, saying it was one of the main reasons that the national coffers had dwindled.

Equally urgent is land allocations as some Batswana own swaths of land while others do not even have a resident plot, Mr Lucas said and also mentioned that other disparities were in developments, poverty and remunerations in terms of salaries and wages.

Concerning his constituency, Mr Lucas said that they still awaited major development projects long promised to his constituency being a 70-bed hospital at Bobonong, level one primary hospital at Tsetsebye and a clinic at Borotsi.

“These three projects seem to be just elections gimmicks because they resurface during election campaigns, only to disappear afterwards,” he said. ENDS