Delimitation outcome welcomed with mixed reactions
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Monday February 20, 2023 06:00
Others still believe that certain decisions are done politically to boost the ruling party, Botswana Democratic Party (BDP).
The Delimitation Commission started its process last year in September and was supposed to bring the report by end of January. With constituencies now increased to 61, there are four new constituencies which resulted from the split of constituencies like Okavango, Maun, Mogoditshane and Kgatleng. Some constituencies were just re-arrangements of boundaries.
It has come out clear that some delimitation was also affected by the establishment of the new council districts, which is meant to bring resources closer to people.
Apart from the new council districts, the Commission had to take into consideration the issue of population statistics. Another issue that came into play was a change of names such as Sefhare/Ramokgonami to Tswapong South and Lerala/Maunatlala to Tswapong North.
The Commission also found it important to bring back tribal names such as Kgatleng instead of Mochudi, Bobonong constituency is now called Bobirwa and Ramotswa is now Gamalete.
The Commission noted that in areas like Tswapong and Kgatleng, some villages are far apart and one travels long distances to access resources or services. It should be noted that the establishment of a new constituency which is Metsimotlhabe/Mmopane was done to reduce the broadness of other constituencies like Gabane/Mmankgodi, Molepolole North and Mogoditshane.
Still, on that note, the MP for Palapye constituency Onnetse Ramogapi said his area has instead been broadened to include Topisi, Moreomabele, Radisele, Mokgware and Mogome. “It is huge now. I am happy and I welcome the new development. I will win it easily. One of the factors in politics is where one comes from, and place of birth.
So I have a base in Serule, Nkalaphala and Topisi. As for Radisele, I have friends, business people and some relatives. Over and above for a long time, Radisele has been a stronghold for Botswana National Front (BNF). Now it is in the hands of the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF). Mogome and Mokgware are in the hands of the BNF of the UDC. Really victory is certain no doubt. I will keep on working hard,” he said. Another opposition MP, Kenny Kapinga said: “I am very grateful for the dissection of the constituency into two.
It is a very onerous task to do justice to the constituency in its current form. I believe with two MPs the constituency will be better served. The geographical size of the constituency made the constituency community fund of P10 million, woefully inadequate for our initiatives.” On the contrary the MP for Selebi-Phikwe West, Dithapelo Keorapetse said Botswana needs a bigger Parliament because of its geographical vast and complex terrain of more than 580,000 square kilometres of land and 2.3million people. “Before the 2004 elections, 17 additional constituencies were added, so this means for 2029 we needed 20 more constituencies. Mauritius has 70 MPs, with 1.2 million population, Namibia has 104 MPs with 2.5 million population, Seychelles has 35 MPs with 107,000 population and Lesotho has 120 MPs with 2.3 million population.
Therefore, Botswana needs at least 100 MPs given its geography. Some wards have a radius of 80km while some constituencies have a 300km radius.” He said it’s difficult for MPs to reach their constituents and this disrupts democracy, especially representation.
Moreover, he said as a country there is a need to review the whole exercise of demarcation of electoral boundaries since the ruling party has misused it for their political agenda. He said they have always suspected gerrymandering because some decisions do not make sense. The Chief Whip for the BDP, Liakat Kablay said he is happy with the outcome of delimitation and residents of Lephephe will be able to access the services nearer. “Now Lephephe is under Lentsweletau district therefore they no longer have to travel long distances to get services at Molepolole village which was very far for them. Even though the constituency is still broad but it is not the same as before.” Still on the matter, the Alliance for Progressives (AP) MP for Francistown South Wynter Mmolotsi said they expected that the western area would get a new constituency because of the vastness of the area. “Okavango and Maun also deserved a constituency and I am happy that they got it. In Francistown, there has not been any change as expected because the population was less than the quota and even the geographic area is small.”
Late last year, the Delimitation Commission chairperson Justice Chris Gabanagae told residents during kgotla meeting that each constituency should have the same number of inhabitants which was calculated by dividing the total population by 61 envisaged constituencies. Gabanagae added that the population quota, therefore, dictated that all things being equal, a constituency should have 38,682.
On other hand, he said constituencies cannot be delimited presenting exactly equal population in all cases because of unique features of some places such as geographical features that should be taken into consideration. Gabanagae cited that it should be taken into consideration, for example, when some sparsely populated constituencies with administrative areas are vast.
He stressed that the population quota was the main determinant for delimitating constituencies, geographical features, administrative districts and other factors. While on constituencies, Gabanagae had admitted that they do not meet stipulated quota, he, however, said constituencies are created on the basis of understanding the geographical features and avoiding breaking their administrative districts. “The other factor is that if we were to delimitate based on numbers, some areas that are vast such as Gantsi would be having one Member of Parliament (MP) and those with unique features like Tswapong that have hills will face the same predicament.
This would disadvantage residents as they would be forced to travel long distances and bad terrains to get services,” he indicated. Gabanagae also said Bokspits, Shakawe and Seronga are some of the areas with unique features although they might be sparely populated. “We also look at other things that unite tribes such as languages and culture,” he pointed out. He further elaborated that some constituencies do not meet the desired numbers, but they cannot take some villages belonging to other administrative districts to make up the desired number because it is against the Constitution.