- Opposition claims most rejected motion were from their side
- BDP accuses opposition of bringing what is in government plans
SESUPO RANTSIMAKO
The 12th Parliament adopted 27 motions from across the aisle while 39 were rejected.
Among the rejected motions was one that wanted the counting of ballots done at polling stations, one calling for direct election of the president, one calling for introduction of a living wage that would be adjusted according to the cost of living and one for a commission of enquiry into Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
On the other hand, Parliament adopted motions on relocation of primary healthcare to the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and for introducing an unemployment benefit.
Bond issuance
The motion for a stipend for the unemployed was tabled by the MP for Selebi-Phikwe West and Leader of the Opposition, Dithapelo Keorapetse.
The House also passed a motion for increasing the bond issuance programme from the current P15 billion limit to P30 billion in order to increase the government’s revenue streams.
Reflecting on matters that came before Parliament before it was dissolved for the general elections that are due in October, chief whips of both the ruling Botswana Democratic Party and the opposition expressed divergent views.
A job well done
The chief whip of the BDP, Liakat Kablay, commended his fellow MPs for a job well done. However, he downplayed accusations that the BDP always rejected motions brought by opposition MPs.
“We rejected their motions because the opposition has a tendency of bringing what is already in government plans,” Kablay said in an interview.
“In order to avoid disappointment, opposition MPs should learn to research thoroughly before bringing motions to Parliament. We cannot support something that is already in government plans.”
For their party
On the other hand, the chief whip of the opposition, Motsamai Motsamai, said most of the 39 motions that were rejected were from the opposition.
This, he argued, was an indication that MPs of the BDP were not in Parliament to serve the interests of the nation but for their party.
“The BDP should know that once we are in Parliament, we should forget about partisan politics and serve the interests of the people we represent,” Motsamai said.