- We all falter, and life must go on-PSP
- Says we all deserve a second chance
- Petitioner disqualifies Ngaka on previous bad record with women
TEFO PHEAGE
The Permanent Secretary to the President and Secretary to Cabinet, Carter Morupisi is opposed to a petition in circulation calling President Mokgweetsi Masisi to consider withdrawing the new Minister of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs, Ngaka Ngaka from the Ministry owing to his previous bad gender-based record.
The petition already signed by hundreds of people is gaining momentum. It is led by one Obakeng Matlou who says the Gender Affairs Ministry has its mandate centered on gender issues, and is therefore a very key Ministry that ought not to be given to someone like Ngaka Ngaka who was previously accused by his wife of assault.
In an interview with this publication, Morupisi said the petition goes against some of the core values of our nation, “Why try a man twice over a closed saga. The truth is we all falter or have faltered at one point in life and that should never follow us to our graves,” he said further adding that we all deserve a second chance.
The PSP said calls for Ngaka Ngaka to be withdrawn from the ministry were unfair. Morupisi however said they will address the petition fully once brought to them as they have done with many previous others. “We take petitions seriously and make determinations on their merits and demerits,” he said.
The petitioners say, “for a person of Mr Ngaka Ngaka’s record to be appointed as Minister goes directly against the objective of sensitizing, educating and seeking Batswana to end Gender Based Violence (GBV).”
They cite a 2014 case in which Ngaka was involved in a public spat with his wife-Boingotlo Ngaka who opened a police case registered in Molepolole, in which she had reported a case of assault against her husband.
“The First Lady, Mrs Neo Masisi, has done a tremendous work of launching a movement on emancipating the girl child on gender issues through her tagline “Eseng Mo Ngwaneng” and for that we applaud her. However, appointment of Mr Ngaka Ngaka will prove difficult for the civil society and the general public to support her work going forward. We view your collective efforts as advocative towards eradicating Gender Based Violence,” further reads the petition.
The petitioners say while they are happy to allow Masisi to exercise his authority, they wish to urge him to redeploy Ngaka elsewhere other than the Ministry of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs.
“We are of the firm belief that Ms. Dorcus Makgato should be retained in this Ministry as she was starting to understand the Ministry and working well with many partners on issues of Gender and Gender Based Violence,” reads the petition led by gender activist and politician, Matlou.
The petition continues: “We believe in Therisano and Botho. While we respect that it is your sole prerogative to appoint cabinet members in their portfolios, we also advice His Excellency to be considerate of the public reservations, opinions and the sensitivity of this particular matter.”
“Botswana,” continues the petition, “is signatory to the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development, and is in the process of domesticating policies, laws and practices on ending Gender Based Violence in all its forms in order to have a gender transformative, sensitive and progressive society. Botswana is duty-bound to uphold all these statutes and his appointment contradicts this.”