Specially elected MPs and cabinet elected from MPs?

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It made perfect sense at dawn of independence due to scarcity of election candidates qualifying for cabinet that unelected candidates could be ‘specially elected.

’ There were 12 University graduates in 1965 when Bechuanaland ventured into pre-independence general elections. That was why virtually all the four specially elected MPs of British origin were roped into the cabinet. The appointment of Cabinet ministers from MPs was inherited from the British Parliament the departing institutional colonial parent.

The Eleventh Botswana Parliament is far removed from the First Parliament. A big majority of elected MPs are University graduates, for which the era should rebuke us sternly for perpetuating an obsolete tradition. Another consideration for specially elected MPs was these MPs were so elected to represent special interest minority groups. This has not happened and it’s not about to happen. Why then do we continue to have an irrelevant and outdated provision in our constitution? Why is the provision catering for the ruling party alone in a multiparty democracy?

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