House rejects inter-party dialogue
Lerato Maleke | Wednesday February 26, 2014 15:26
The sponsor of the motion, Francistown South MP Wynter Mmolotsi, had argued that the ruling party was only waiting for war to erupt before it would see the need to consult opposition parties.
Mmolotsi was quick to say that he was not advocating for violence by saying that. He said being the party in power did not mean that the BDP must alone control everything.
He said the Minister in the Presidency, Mokgweetsi Masisi, was not sorry that poor Batswana children were “roaming the streets because they cannot find employment”.
But it was vital for all political parties to work together for the benefit of Batswana because opposition parties could also contribute towards building the country’s economy. Opposition parties could advise on land and unemployment, Mmolotsi said.
He characterised floor-crossing by MPs as a symptom of political immaturity. Mmolotsi argued that inter-party dialogue - which was implemented by former president Sir Ketumile Masire under what the former president called All-Party Conferences - was provided for in the Constitution of Botswana, but no such dialogue had taken place over the past 10 years.
Mmolotsi said it was imperative for Masisi to call an inter-party dialogue, adding that doing so would not cost a life.
Referring to the MP for Molepolole North, Daniel Kwelagobe, as “the father of the House”, Mmolotsi said the man who is Botswana’s longest serving MP seemed averse to Section 65, Sub-section 3 of the Constitution that provides for writing to Masisi about convening an all-party dialogue.
“O ntse ka bomo,” he said, adding that this is why he (Mmolotsi) did not have a choice but to bring the motion to the House.
The Assistant Minister of Health, Gaotlhaetse Matlhabaphiri, interrupted to ask Mmolotsi if he ever wrote to Masisi about the matter.
Kwelagobe had earlier said Mmolotsi knew why Masisi was reluctant to call such meetings and why they were cancelled. Although all-party conferences were provided for in the Constitution, the Constitution was silent regarding what should be discussed at such forums.
Kwelagobe said he supported the idea of resuscitating the institution of all-party conferences. However, Mmolotsi need not have brought the matter to the House as a motion but should instead have written a letter to Masisi outlining issues that merited such attention.
Kwelagobe said inter-party dialogue was withdrawn because opposition parties used them as a platform to advance their own interests through the mechanism of voting on issues and outnumbering the BDP. “People created problems and opposition parties voted together and beat the BDP, so (they were of) no use,” he said.