Residents call for direct presidential election
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Monday February 14, 2022 06:00
Speaking during the Presidential Commission of inquiry on the review of the Constitution of the country, Moatlhodi Baaitse said; “ gone are the times when one automatically knows that if he/she is Vice President then they will become the next President. We must be given a chance to vote our own President as Batswana. Again there must be a change in the clause of the Constitution to allow the President to sue and be sued.”
Bafo Manakwe said if the President is elected directly by Batswana, then he or she will be accountable to the voters. “The system we are using to elect the President is old and other countries have long changed theirs. The President must be accountable to the nation not his/her party. Direct Presidential election will help us to even elect a President who does not belong to any political party. Again, the powers enjoyed by the President must be looked into or limited,” Manakwe said.
Another speaker, Thapelo Keabaitse shared the same sentiments that the President must be elected.
“The election of the President must be held on a different date from the ones for council and parliamentary seats so that the candidates for presidency may be able to campaign for votes,” he said.
Mmopiemang Selale said the President must have the power to choose his Vice President and also the Constitution must provide for selection of Cabinet ministers apart from the Members of Parliament.
“We also need a clause in the Constitution that gives the nation the power to recall the President but there must be guidelines on that,” she said.
Contributing to the discussion on the issue of Presidential elections, Putuntu Molatlhegi said; “to avoid a scenario where the country might have many candidates for presidential election, for one to be a candidate, she or he must be supported by 10,000 people failing to do so, one must be disqualified. The elections, just like for council and parliamentary candidates, must be run by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). There must be certain qualification requirements also that is needed for one to be a suitable candidate.”
The area MP, Thapelo Matsheka supported issues raised by his constituents and said if an 18-year-old is eligible to vote such a person must be allowed to contest for presidency as well.
“If I am not mistaken, for one to be eligible to contest for State presidency he or she must be 30 years and above. My question is, what are we scared of if we cannot allow those aged 18 to contest for the position at their age. Are we scared to be ruled by the young ones or not? It is time we look into things differently. A lot of things have changed from the way we used to know them,” Matsheka said.
On other issues, still related to the one for presidency, residents said certain qualifications must be needed for one to be a minister since a lot of things have changed unlike before.
Thalaka Mothanka said: “We need educated ministers so that they are on the same level with their permanent secretaries when it comes to issues that are being discussed. One should not be appointed because he/she is loyal to a President. Ministers should be chosen by the President but they should not be MPs or councillors.”
Caroline Lesang also supported that Cabinet ministers must have certain qualification requirements and Parliament must have an input in helping the President to choose the ministers so that it is not his discretion alone.
The residents pointed out that there must be a clause that gives the public power to recall a councillor or an MP who fails to deliver to his or her constituents so that fresh elections could be called in that area.