16 Feb 2025

Although Lentsweletau/Lephephe constituency is in the periphery of the country’s capital, Gaborone, the area is besieged by poverty, area Member of Parliament (MP), Mr Tshenolo Bogatsu has said.

Joining the 2025/26 Budget Speech discourse in Parliament on Thursday, Mr Bogatsu said the constituency for decades experienced developmental neglect, but hoped that last year’s change of government could signal a new dawn.

Mr Bogatsu said constituents looked forward to the construction of Lentsweletau-Medie road, and hoped for the long overdue development of Lentsweletau-Molepolole road as well.

He called for smaller villages such as Kweneng to be connected to main tarmac roads to aid in agricultural trade routes.

He also said the increment of the old age pension scheme from P830 to P1 400 was a welcome development that would aid in alleviating poverty amongst the rural elderly.

Mr Bogatsu said the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) government inherited an economy with serious financial constraints and declining revenue, with unemployment rampant.

Nevertheless, he expressed confidence that under the stewardship of President Advocate Duma Boko and Vice President, Minister of Finance Mr Ndaba Gaolathe, Botswana could turn the corner and have its development and economic prospects revived.

He said some pledges such as the improvement of Ipelegeng, public works, and tertiary students’ allowances shall be fulfilled over time as government works on improving revenue streams.

While acknowledging the promise of equitable distribution of resources and development projects, Mr Bogatsu said, “we cannot distribute equally to unequal people,” stressing that areas that had been disadvantaged for long such as his constituency required special attention.

He called for a road network to be constructed linking places such as Lentsweletau, Kopong, Medie, Kweneng, Ditshukudu, Mahetlwe, Bokaa, Gaborone North as well as Molepolole.

Further, he requested the government to pursue the construction of a power station at Medie and for a railway to be built to connect the Medie Coal mine to reach sea ports.

Additionally he called for land board compensation for people who ceded their land for Gaborone expansion into Tlhape, Kgaphamadi and Gaborone North to be expedited. ENDS