19 Dec 2024

Political parties should sooner than later address issues surrounding their registration.

Minister of Labour and Home Affairs, Major General (retired) Pius Mokgware said when addressing Parliament on the proposed Societies Act amendment Bill, which sought to comply with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) recommendations.

He said political parties, which were previously exempted from the Societies Act, needed to address issues of their registration and accountability as per international law standards.

“Mme ke a lo kopa gore a re direng ka pele, re seka ra tshwarwa ke audit e e tsileng go dirwa,” Major General Mokgware said referring to the peer review expected next year.

The minister said lack of accounting by political parties could raise eyebrows during the review by international organisations. He said political parties, although could currently register under the Societies Act, they could either choose to be registered under the Societies Act, the Independent Electoral Commission, or craft their own political party registration act.

Failure to address the political partys’ accountability could risk the country’s fate under FATF and ultimately lead to the country being grey-listed and such could affect the economy, hence the bill should pass without excluding political parties.

The minister also said political party compliance was more important considering that they would soon be benefitting from political party funding, hence needed to account for public funds they would receive.

Major General Mokgware further said the Societies Act, which was enacted in 1972, had been amended throughout the years to address emerging challenges.

However, he said there still existed loopholes which necessitated that the act be amended to address challenges such as societies being used to finance terrorism or used by terrorists for money laundering and other related crimes hence there needed to be a legal framework for the registration of societies as well as for filing annual returns to enhance issues of accountability, among others.

Minister Mokgware said societies ought to show the origins of their finances and further added that the Societies (Amendment) Bill of 2024 would, among others, provide for new definitions of terrorism and terrorism financing. Also, the bill makes provision for the appointment of an officer at the Registrar of Societies to be a point of contact, to respond to international requests for information.

Major General Mokgware said the amendment also made provisions for two-thirds of office bearers to be residents in Botswana. Such, he said would include those holding critical roles such as an officer responsible for keeping records, account of the registered society, or for the collection, receipt, disbursements, custody, or control of finances of the society.

Major General Mokgware also said the bill made provision for registered societies to make annual returns to the registrar, as well as provision for punitive penalties for societies and office bearers who contravened the act.

For his part, Gaborone South MP, Mr Nelson Ramaotwana supported the bill and said the exemption of the political parties from the act needed to be addressed.

Also, he said the country had no option but to comply with the FATF requirement as part of the global community.

Selebi Phikwe East MP, Mr Kgoberego Nkawana also supported the amendment but said all non-profit making organisations needed to account for and comply with international laws, adding that compliance forms should be made easy.

He said the amendment that required two-thirds of office bearers to be residents in Botswana would impact churches whose office headquarters were outside the country noting that such should be done with due diligence.

Kgatleng East MP, Mr Mabuse Pule too supported the amendment saying it was for the good of the country as it aligned to the international requirements, which if not dealt with could lead to grey-listing.

He further stated that he was in support of all non-profit making organisations filling their annual returns and who default be punished.

Meanwhile, Parliament approved that the bill pass to the committee stage, with all MPs who debated supporting it. Ends