LOO response to the State of the Nation Address [full text]

Dumelang Saleshando PIC. THALEFANG CHARLES
Dumelang Saleshando PIC. THALEFANG CHARLES

I extend warm congratulations to you all, members of the 12th Parliament, on your electoral successes. As Parliament, we are the depository of our citizens hopes for a better tomorrow. 

Batswana by nature, are blessed with an abnormally high dose of optimism. Our people are such that when confronted by adversity and despair, when the future seems bleak and darkness dominates our surrounding, Motswana will always sign off with the phrase “Go Tlaa Siama”. This in my view, is a positive trait, underpinned by a strong sense of optimism about the future.

2. The travesty that accompanies our people’s sense that it shall be well, is that it is hardly ever accompanied by a commitment to roll out a plan that will reverse the mishaps that they confront, particularly when the hurdles they face require collective action as opposed to individual responses. They delegate the responsibility to marshal their collective wisdom and strength to some unexplained divine intervention. We, the 12th Parliament, do not have the luxury to bank on the possibility of miracles falling like manna from heaven to solve the challenges our nation faces. It is our duty to frankly introspect as the leadership of the country on the State of our Nation as we see it. No doubt, there will be differences of opinion on what really is the true state of our nation, but its our duty to honestly express our views and propose interventions that will turn Botswana into a country of opportunities for all.

Editor's Comment
End the GammaNgwato chieftainship spats

The chieftainship spats between Seretse and Khama’s uncles have purely degenerated into a permanent elephant in the room and it does not seem anyone cares to ensure this hurdle is dealt with promptly for the attainment of peace for GammaNgwato’s bogosi.Just as the proverbial, when two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers aptly suggests, and so is the state of the institution of bogosi in GammaNgwato.Such is the case because the...

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