GAZETTE REPORTER
Member of Parliament for Kanye North, Thapelo Letsholo has requested government to rename the ‘A1’ highway after the late president, Sir Ketumile Masire who is said to have been passionate about transforming the road into a dual-carriage.
The A1 Highway runs from the Zimbabwean border at Ramokgwebana through Francistown, Mahalapye, Palapye, Gaborone and Lobatse, to Ramatlabama border near South Africa.
In 2017, Government announced that it was naming the country’s medical school which is now used to accommodate COVID-19 patients after Masire, a move that was commended by observers although some said it was not befitting the former president’s monumental status.
This week, Letsholo reignited the debate on honouring Masire requesting that he be honoured with the ‘A1’ which is one of the busiest roads and most popular in the country.
“The A1 road is very important and the time has come for us to develop it into dual carriage. And once all those have been done, it should be renamed after the former president, Sir Ketumile Masire,” Letsholo urged members of parliament.
This is not the first time the issue of honouring Masire is debated in parliament as it has been several times by various sitting members. Parliament instead decided in the past to amend the motion to include all important persons who have played a meaningful role in the country.
Naming of public facilities has of recent become a very contentious issue in Botswana and there have been questions raised over the government ‘s selection process criteria. In the 11th Parliament, the motion which sought to honour the late Gomolemo Motswaledi was withdrawn and not debated.