Madam Speaker, It is my singular honour and privilege to rise again in this Honourable House to respond to the state of nation address delivered by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Botswana Lt. General Seretse Khama Ian Khama on Monday 7th November 2011.
Before delving into the speech I wish to pay tribute to founding fathers of political parties in Botswana who laid a solid and strong foundation of democracy providing for freedom of speech and culture of good political tolerance. These tributes go to Late Sir Seretse Khama, Late Dr. Kenneth Shololo Goabamong Koma, Late Phillip Matante, Late Kgalemang Motsete, Late Bathoeng Gaseitsiwe, Motsamai Mpho, Late Fish Keitseng, Late Maitshwarelo Dabutha, Late Paul Rantao and many other political veterans and icons who pioneered politics in Botswana. These leaders advocated and promoted unity amongst Batswana and that what unites us as nation is Botswana. They advocated for respect of divergent political views and promoting multiparty democracy and that attainment of state power through the ballot. These political icons are some of the clear and highly eligible candidates who deserve recognition award of Naledi Ya Botswana.
After forty five years of one dominant political party rule, opposition parties that lost successive elections, some ten times, have never relented their set objective of attainment of state power. After suffering many ballot losses, they always graciously accepted defeat and continued to soldier on with their political struggle. Parties such as Botswana Peoples Party, Botswana National Front and Botswana Congress Party deserve to be commended for never relenting on their political struggle and general enlightenment of Botswana. They continued to promote democracy. These parties have dramatically changed the political climate. A new player (Botswana Movement for Democracy) also entered the political arena in 2009 and added yet another impetus to Botswana politics. That is why there is now debate and negotiations about coalition of opposition political parties under the Banner of Umbrella Party. This is clearly so because successive elections results have demonstrated that BDP is easy to defeat if opposition parties combine their efforts during 2014 general elections. In the past BDP benefitted handsomely from opposition split votes. This is evidenced by the presence of eleven BDP MPs sitting in this House whose adrenalin overflows heavily when considering a successful opposition negotiation talks on cooperation. I applaud opposition parties for setting up negotiation teams to discuss opposition.
Madam Speaker, for all the years I have served in this Parliament, I have observed that the state of the nation address is the road map to next budget speech. My expectation was that this state of nation address would lay more emphasis on critical issues that highlights Botswana’s policies of moving this country forward in the post recession era, but I am afraid it has failed to do so as I will soon highlight.
Madam Speaker, it is unprecedented that this state of nation address speech has no theme unlike those that preceded it, whether through omission or commission, it boggles the mind. During 2010 state of the nation address, the theme was “Delivering People Centred Development”.
CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS
Madam Speaker, during 2010 state of nation address, the tone of His Excellency the President sounded like someone not convinced of the need to institute constitutional reforms. He was noncommittal but sounding cautious about heeding calls to alter the founding document. I quote paragraph 17 and 18 of the 2010 state of Nation Address page 4 quote
Paragraph 17:
“Madam Speaker, democracy cannot exist in the absence of rule of law. In this country we are fortunate to have a supreme law, a constitution that for nearly half a century has upheld both our human rights and responsibilities to one another. We should, therefore exercise caution in heeding calls to alter the founding document that has been the guarantor of our enviable record of political stability and socio-economic progress”
Paragraph 18:
“According to the international monitoring group Freedom House, over two thirds of countries listed as being ‘free’, including Botswana, have constitution similar to ours, in which the executive derives its mandate from Parliamentary elections. About a third in the same category of nations practices First Past the Post constituency voting, with others employing a wide variety of alternatives. This is not to say to say our fundamental laws can never be changed if a clear domestic consensus emerges. But let us not be misled by empty or self serving claims that any particular electoral system enjoys global recognition as being superior.
The silence of His Excellency the President on this particular state of nation address now worries me. I wonder if his failure to say something about constitutional reforms signals his unwillingness to continue with the discussion on the matter, hoping the matter would die down, I don’t know. There is currently before the High Court the case of Kgosikgolo Kgafela challenging the constitution. There are two motions that are noticed and before this Honourable House moved by two members of this House both of which calling on Government to institute a constitutional review. One is led by Honourable Leader of the Opposition and another one by me.
During the last state of nation address, a sizeable number of MPs from across both side of the house spoke in support of constitutional review. Regrettably, we continue to see Government bringing piecemeal constitutional amendments that benefit only the ruling party whilst the state of nation address is this time round silent on the matter. What further evidence does Government need in order to respond to this call because the evidence from both Government and parliament is there? Madam Speaker, in the motion I noticed, requesting this House to resolve to ask Government to set up a commission for comprehensive constitutional review, I will further discuss the issue to generate more public debate on it.
On Friday 11th November 2011, the Law society organized a constitutional reform conference, and presenters and panelist were leading legal practitioners, retired judges, party leaders and some members of this House which added further impetus to this clarion call on the comprehensive constitutional review. I am happy the Minister of Defence Justice and Security Honourable Ramadeluka Seretse attended the conference on behalf of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party as a panelist. He can bear testimony to this clarion call and I hope he has briefed His Excellency accordingly to bring him to speed.
PRESENTATION OF THE STATE OF NATION ADDRESS SPEECH IN SETSWANA
Madam, Speaker, the state of nation address by His Excellency the President is aimed at addressing Batswana on the national affairs. The majority of Batswana does not speak English well enough to follow live presentation of the state of nation address presented in English in both Btv and Radio by His Excellency the President. They call upon to address them in Setswana. I believe it is time for Setswana as a second official language to be used in live broadcasts by the State President. I call upon His Excellency the President to emulate his Parliamentary colleagues and begin addressing Parliament in Setswana.
ABOUT THE STATE OF NATION ADDRESS
Honourable Speaker, the State of Nation speech is a promissory note to the nation, by the head of state, stipulating Government goals on policy issues and government initiatives on challenges facing the nation for the coming twelve months and beyond. It is a very important speech. The nation always awaits it’s delivery with high hopes, expecting that upon its delivery, His Excellency would deliver programmes which should help alleviate and answer some of the problems that hinder their economic mode of live and survival.
STATE OF NATION BY U. S. PRESIDENT
Honourable Speaker, I read the State of Nation Address delivered by the President of United States of America Mr. Barrack Obama on 25th January 2011 to both the Senate and Congress of United States. It was 13 pages long with font number 12, not 43 pages long with font number 10 such as this one of His Excellency Lt, General Seretse Khama Ian Khama. It was clear and precise to specific national problems facing the nation of United States of America. The highlights of his speech were more on what was at stake for Americans namely: investment on innovation, education and infrastructure to make America a better place to do business and job creation. Not self praise and accolades.
This state of nation speech by His Excellency Lt. General Ian Khama has been unduly too long, lasting more than two hours, the thrust of which focused more on routine matters as opposed to policy initiatives and guideline as to the way forward of how to deal with national challenges. It is littered with too many recycled sectoral routine reports of government programmes which are no new news to Batswana listening to the speech and in majority of cases without direct bearing on the plight of the unemployed and the primary and secondary school graduates whose prospects of the future are on the crossroads.
ECONOMY
Madam Speaker, more than two years ago, the world underwent one of the biggest global economic meltdowns. I am happy that His Excellency the President reports under paragraph 40 that the country’s economy is recovering from the effects of this worst economic meltdown as evidenced by real GDP figures as at September 2011 of 12.4% of second quarter of 2011 as contrasted with 7.4% of similar period during 2010. I commend Botswana for this remarkable recovery. It is noteworthy that even the economic outlook as projected IMF World Economic Report Forecast projects healthier growth of 5.7% and 7.1% in 2011 and 2012 respectively. I applaud the Special Support Programme to the Textile and Clothing Industry to the extent of P22.6million that was put in place in order to save the 4 286 jobs.
FROZEN PROJECTS
Madam Speaker, His Excellency the President has made a cautionary about the economic recovery, but his speech falls short of shedding light on government plans post recession. During 2009/2010 financial year, government froze all new projects which Parliament approved under National Development Plan 10. The President went to the extent of even briefing Parliament during the 2009 state of nation address, after the general elections, about the global economic recession that has affected both Botswana’s exports and Government revenue. With good prospects of economic recovery looking so good, I had expected the speech to provide an update and guidance regarding resumption of planned development projects post the recession period which were frozen at the beginning of world economic recession in 2009.
Honourable Speaker, this is because any prolonged procrastination of development projects could lead to accumulated inflation and serious price escalation that may reverse the gains made under a balanced budget due to the value of Pula being eroded by inflation, making it extremely expensive to finance all the NDP 10 projects.
Honourable Speaker, I request Government to aprise Parliament on the benefits delaying the projects against a balanced budget. It is ambiguous what government intentions are under paragraph 59. His Excellency states that “In line with our NDP 10, MDGs, Vision 2016 and Botswana Excellence Strategy which is our framework of maintaining diversified growth, as well as the continuing the need to nurture our recovery, we are committed to
· Growing the economy and expanding job opportunities
· Maintaining Infrastructure along basic services in such areas as education, and health as well as costly social support services
· Achieving the goal of eradicating abject poverty through sustainable enterprise”.
My concern is that development projects on schools, hospitals and other sectors of government development projects have been frozen. What is the logic of this statement if the His Excellency is not apprising Parliament on government post recession plan regarding resumption of development projects?
Honorable Speaker, Government invests heavy financial resources, funding development projects which I consider to be the right thing to do. The question which government must answer in order to account to the nation is that “is government and the nation getting good value for money in relation to project implementation and delivery within time? Apart from enjoying the benefits and services of such projects, to what extent do Batswana benefit in wealth acquisitions as a result of these economic activities’? Are these resources putting economic empowerment in the hands of Botswana citizens? We note with utmost dismay that citizens have become passive spectators when the lion’s share of procurement budget remains in the hands foreigners some of whom with poor project delivery records.
This Parliament is seized with many projects that are still ongoing beyond their scheduled date of completion. Some of the projects were targeted at FIFA 2010 world cup. The state of nation address is conspicuously silent why Lobatse, Gaborone and Francistown stadia, and expansion Sir Seretse Khama international Airport, Francistown, Kasane and Maun airports are up to this date still ongoing. There is no accounting by the President to Parliament which approved such resources when it passed the Appropriation Act. Batswana who are footing the tax bill feel hard done by this regime who fail to account why such a high failure rate of project implementation. Is this heralding that one of the five Ds (DELIVERY) has crumbled and to the proponent it is live as usual? Was “D” for DELIVERY a mere empty slogan to unsuspecting citizens who are now the main losers?
DBES AUDIT TEAM (paragraph 132)
Honourable Speaker, I acknowledge the efforts of DBES audit in curbing unwarranted claims by consultants and companies at the quantum of P1million per week as reported by His Excellency the President. This is the tip of the iceberg. I call upon government to set up a commission to investigate allegations of fraud in executing Government projects. Parliament needs to know why so many government projects are never delivered on time and within budget. A lot more explanation and accounting is owed to Batswana on project implementation.
Honourable Speaker, Further explanation is needed why government has given the work of project audit to BELSHANE PROPERTY GROUP run by two BDP functionaries in the in the names of Gordon Baxter and Olopeng Ngwakwena. When was the tender for this project audit work floated and how many companies applied and what is the tender amount?
CITIZEN ECONMIC EMPOWERMENT
For nearly half a century of our independence, key players who drive the economy of this country and benefitting most from public procurements are foreign businesses with Batswana starring as passive spectators at the wheel of economic development without any meaningful role to play as investors except for some meager wage earners of incomes below the poverty datum line.
Honourable Speaker, time is now that the economic activities of this country are spearheaded by Batswana themselves in all spheres of economic development. The government citizen economic empowerment plan has dismally failed. This country is endowed with abundant natural resources which are under the control of foreigners. The share of citizens in mining, tourism, road construction dam construction, building construction, commerce and industry etc... is embarrassingly a pittance.
Government empowerment schemes such as CEDA, and LEA have not succeeded to bring the economic empowerment in the hands of Batswana. Virtually all major government procurement tenders are the domain and monopoly of foreign owned but locally incorporated companies. Batswana companies are struggling to win government procurement tenders whilst the lion’s share of these tenders is awarded to Multinational Corporations. This is bad and could become serious recipe for civil rebellion and promote xenophobia against foreigners if this practice is not discontinued. I call upon government to come up with a comprehensive citizen economic empowerment policy with clear cut targets and milestones of how to transfer the economy into the hands of the citizens.
ECONOMIC DIVERSIFCATION DRIVE
Honourable Speaker, the state of nation address has no clear vision and guidance as to how to diversify the economy of Botswana. To me the economic diversification must aim at utilizing the raw material derived from our natural resources such as minerals to set up mining downstream activities and create decent jobs for citizens. Botswana is endowed with minerals such as diamonds, copper, nickel, coal, soda ash etc… The improvement alluded to under mining sector in paragraph 83 is only in relation to export sales rather than downstream mining activities.
Export of raw minerals from this country without downstream activities yields less returns. Honourable Speaker, please allow me to quote former director of Botswana Diamond Hub and permanent secretary to the ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources Mr. Lawrence Tombale in his wide ranging interview with Mmegi The Reporter of 22nd January 2010 Vol. 27 no. 11 was reported stating quote “The returns Botswana derived from DeBeers arrangement of 40 years were just a drop in the ocean, less than one percent of world diamond returns. Until they entered into the revolutionary agreement with Debeers Diamond Company of 2006, Botswana diamond returns were equivalent to just 1% of world diamond value of US $67billion. Botswana used to get US$3billion from world diamond industry. In fact it was less than 1%”. And quote again “ Estimation showed that all things being equal, Botswana should now generate US$500million from downstream activities this year compared to the US$30million Botswana made in 2007”.
Madam Speaker, His Excellency must account to this nation why Botswana does not have downstream activities across all the cross section of our mineral sector. Exports of minerals proof to be a serious loss of return on investment on mining. DeBeers has been exploiting Botswana because Botswana is the largest diamond producer by value.
EMPLOYMENT CREATION
Honourable Speaker, I acknowledge the job creation as reported under paragraph 57 and 58. It is plausible. However my concern on the jobs generated under these schemes are of lower technology and pay lower wages to enable workers to afford decent living, which a job should provide to the worker. Allow me to quote from the state of nation address of 25th January 2011 by American President Barrack Obama quote “We measure progress by success of our people. By the jobs they can find and the quality of life those jobs offer. By the opportunities for a better life that we pass on to our children”. The BNF advocates for jobs that offer decent living standards as contrasted with jobs that perpetuate indigence such as those found under the Ipelegeng scheme, and some hypermarket stores that operate in our towns and cities paying slavery wages to workers who toil working for 7days per week but are forever poor. Honourable Speaker, I intend to move a motion which calls this House to resolve to ask Government to set up a commission of enquiry on wages paid to workers of retail stores, garages, hotels, restaurants and other commercially related businesses during the next budget session.
LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
The BNF policy is that workforce is key to generation and development of national wealth. No economy in the world can run and prosper without the input of workforce. Governments, Companies, and institutions all over the world succeed because of efforts exerted by a well-motivated workforce. Human resource is an important asset and a tool for generation of national wealth. Good and successful employers maintain good working conditions for the workforce to keep it disciplined, motivated and productive so the company can prosper and make more profits.
If any employer fails to maintain good working conditions, obviously things would spiral out of control. Salary disputes and other working conditions are not the only motivating factors but if they are ignored by the employer, then room for strike action gets easily opened as was the case with recent Botswana Public Service Strike. Botswana government as an employer agreed to the strike. When it occurs and the effects are not so good, they cry foul and resume retributive action and vendetta against the unions and some of the workers as if they went strike on an illegal strike.
Madam Speaker, the workers do not suddenly become less patriotic to their country if they go on legal strike to fight for improved working conditions even if the employer is government. The BNF supports workers demand for 16% salary increase. It regrettable that His Excellency the President can refer to workers who did not go on strike as patriotic. This is tantamount to pitting public service workers against one another and very divisive. The BNF demand the unconditional reinstatement of all suspended and expelled public service workers. We strongly condemn statutory instrument No. 57 which converted teaching profession and other non-essential professions into essential services. It is clear violation of ILO standards which Botswana is the signatory to. Such an action is undemocratic and clear sign that government does not support free collective bargaining between unions and the employers.
The fact that state is playing oblivion to fact that workers grievances are still not yet resolved and that strike has not ended eludes basic common sense. I had expected state of nation address to offer some respite to this impasse but woo behold there is nothing but the economy is recovering from the recession.
BAKGATLA/GOVERNMENT STANDOFF
Honourable Speaker, in a true democratic dispensation, disputes/conflicts are resolved through engagement and dialogue (molemo wa kgang ke go buiwa kgotsa go buisana). This idiom applies in any conflict situation, whether between countries, civic communities, families, institutions, clubs etc… During the celebration of Vision 2016 in Mmathubudukwane, Kgosikgolo Kgafela made a request to Honour the Vice President that Bogosi ba ba Bakgatla has issues with Government which they wish to engage government on, and requesting to meet His Excellency the President. They asked His Honour the Vice President Lt. General Mompati Merafhe to facilitate such a dialogue with His Excellency the President.
In response, His Honour the Vice President said his door is always open for dialogue and promised to facilitate the dialogue between Bogosi jwa Bakgatla and the President. In my vote of thanks, I commended His Honour the Vice President for his good gesture of good statesmanship for readily offering to mediate. Lt. General Merafhe was renowned for his good diplomatic skills during his many years as Botswana Foreign Minister in diffusing simmering conflicts between African states. The expectation particularly after assuming the office of Vice presidency was that he would assist the new and no so well politically experienced President Ian Khama to lead this nation benefitting from General Merafhe’s wide experience of diplomatic service.
It is with utmost regret that to this date His Honour the Vice President has failed to live up to the pledge he made to Bakgatla to facilitate dialogue between Bogosi jwa Bakgatla and His Excellency the President but things are spiraling out of control. I call upon government to unconditionally engage in a dialogue with Bakgatla Bogosi in order to bring the end to this stand-off.
It is common knowledge that His Excellency the President General Ian Khama avoids dialogue with anyone whom he believes holds a divergent view from his. This was clearly demonstrated during the public sector strike where he declined requests to dialogue about the strike from presidents of political parties in and outside Parliament, delegation of Parliamentary General Assembly and to make the matter worse, his own BDP Parliamentary delegation. This scenario does not promote good image about democracy in Botswana for which Botswana has long been renowned for. There appears to be tension and anger nowadays in Botswana as a result of a head of state who avoids dialogue with his nation. The coming in of DIS has made the matters worse because the nation doesn’t know who is spying on whom and the fear of tapping of cell phones?
AGRICULTURE
Honourable Speaker, I take note of Government initiatives and programmes such as ISPAAD in promoting cereal production in the country government. My concern is the subsistence nature of the programmes in promoting arable rain fed agriculture under very harsh and erratic climatic conditions of rainfall in Botswana. Agriculture is a high risk for those that endeavor to undertake it with low return on investment. The BNF advocates for commercial irrigation farming using the abundant water resources from Okavango and Chobe Rivers including constructing new dams targeted at commercial irrigation farming. The BNF urges to use Botswana Development Corporation to start commercial farming of citrus fruits, cereal, maize millet and other stable crops alongside private farmers. This Parliament approved the Pandamatenga Agricultural Infrastructure Development Project (LOAN) (Authorization) Bill for US$60.020million from African Development Bank on 30th March 2009 to finance the water control and drainage system in the Pandamatenga area. It is now more than two years, no update is being given to Parliament on the progress of the project. The BNF advocates for more resource allocation to this project to realize its full potential in cereal production. The BNF believes that without state intervention and more reliant on private sector investment, the full thrust of the objective of this project may not be realized.
LIVESTOCK
The BNF realizes that cattle industry in this country is often afflicted by animal diseases such as foot and mouth and many others. The BNF considers the sale of live cattle from Zone 6 and other zones as catastrophic to Botswana livestock industry. We condemn the low compensation to farmers in Zone 6 whose cattle are taken away from them to sell them cheaply in Zimbabwe. The act of moving cattle to Zimbabwe whilst the farmers have laid a case of appeal to the High Court against the decision of the Magistrate is an unfortunate and regressive because Zone 6 farmers wish their cattle be vaccinated the same as those in Zone 7.
NAMPAAD (MILK PRODUCTION
Honourable Speaker, in response to question No. 821 of Thursday 7th April 2011, which sought to know from the Minister of Agriculture how much milk does Botswana produce and what is the current milk deficit, the Minister stated that Botswana produces only 8 million liters of milk or 16.7% against the national requirement of 48 million liters hence the milk deficit reduced from 89.1% 1n 2002 to currently to currently 83.3%. Government invested heavy resources developing NAMPAAD to the tune of P60 494 213.00
It is obvious from the Ministers response that the poorly capitalized Batswana farmers cannot afford dairy projects which are highly capital intensive. State intervention is needed if Botswana is to meet its milk and other dairy requirements. The Namibian government did it by procuring over 3000 dairy cows to improve their milk production. Botswana gets seriously affected with milk production if there is an outbreak of foot and mouth disease in South Africa when milk and other dairy products gets temporarily banned. Worse still is that milk in Botswana is 20% more expensive than in other SADC States.
I thank you Honourable Speaker.
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