- Saleshando says it is now Domkrag culture for retiring presidents to amend the law to suit their personal preferences
- BCP leader perturbed that pressing needs of citizens are ignored as presidential benefits are extended to family
GAZETTE REPORTER
The leader of the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) has criticised BDP legislators’ attempts to amend the Presidents (Pensions and Retirement Benefits) Act in order to extend exiting presidents’ retirement benefits to their family as “greed” that amounts to “looting”.
The proposed amendment Bill is before Parliament and seeks to extend benefits to a president’s spouse and children, allowing them to enjoy these benefits even beyond his or her death.
Reacting to the development, Saleshando commented: “It has now become a culture for the BDP that, as and when a President approaches the end of their term, the laws dealing with their pension is amended to meet their personal preferences for their pension.”
Key changes
The amendments, as outlined in the Bill, propose several key changes. Firstly, the bill defines “dependent child” to include children under 18 years of age who are born out of wedlock but adopted according to the Adoption of Children Act, and financially dependent on the President.
Additionally, it specifies benefits for the spouse of a former President, ensuring they receive a tax-free monthly pension and other benefits. The bill also allows dependent children of former Presidents to receive benefits in their own right and not just when the surviving spouse dies.
Moreover, the Bill proposed amendments aim to allow appropriate authorities to determine the number of security officers for a former President and to grant motor vehicles for the retired President, their spouse and their office.
Medical insurance
The amendments also include adjustments to replace the term “21 years” with “18 years” wherever it appears, aligning the legal definition of adulthood with other national laws.
Under the proposed provisions, a former President would be entitled to a tax-free monthly pension equivalent to their salary at the time they left office or 80% of the incumbent President’s salary, whichever is greater.
Additionally, the former President, their spouse and dependent children, will be entitled to medical insurance and evacuation services.
They will also receive two sedans, one four-wheel drive vehicle, and a pick-up van, with an additional sedan provided for the spouse and one for the office of the former President.
Rather obscene
For surviving spouses and dependent children, the Bill proposes that if a President dies in office, the surviving spouse and children will receive a monthly pension at 50% of what the President would have received if they had retired.
If the President dies after leaving office, the surviving spouse and children will receive 50% of the pension that the President was receiving. These survivors would continue to be entitled to the benefits specified in the Act’s schedule.
Meanwhile, Saleshando has emphasised his opposition to the Bill. “In the case of President Masisi, the sense of greed for greater national resources to be allocated to his family members is rather obscene and amounts to looting,” he said in Parliament.
“President Masisi has always prioritised accumulation of wealth for his family through the influence of the office he holds.
In the footsteps of Khama
“He now wants more for his family post his presidency when many Batswana are without jobs, schools without basic furniture and health facilities without basic medicines.”
The BDP is following in the footsteps of the previous administration which also pushed for similar amendments of the Act to expand Ian Khama’s benefits on the eve of his retirement.
But the proposed amendments will not benefit President Masisi’s predecessor in their aspect of spouse and children because Khama has neither.