Nkaigwa�s parley hopes take shape
Lekopanye Mooketsi | Friday May 9, 2014 14:45
Quitting his high-paying job in the corporate sector meant that there was a drastic cut in Nkaigwa’s income. However, he does not regret the personal sacrifice because for him, serving the people is a calling.
“I believe I have a calling, to become a servant of the people,” the 37 year-old said in a recent interview.
After serving as Babusi ward councillor for five years, Nkaigwa is now targeting Parliament where he believes he can make a more meaningful contribution.
He will contest the general elections as the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) candidate for Gaborone North. Nkaigwa said if elected, one issue he will push hard for is the autonomy of local authorities.
The civic leader wants councils autonomous and accountable to the electorate and the community. In his book, councillors are holding posts without any authority. Even the Town Clerk reports to the Permanent Secretary and not to the mayor, Nkaigwa notes. Nkaigwa says one of the reasons he wants to go to Parliament is that he has realised that you cannot influence policy at council level. “Councils should be covered by the Constitution,” he says.
“As it is, they are provided for under an Act of parliament and as a result, the State President can dissolve them any time he wishes.”
Nkaigwa has already drawn up a blueprint to usher developments into Gaborone North. With the ethos that residents should not be entirely dependent on government, he says the constituency will establish a development trust that will become the investment arm for the area.
The trust will set up a legal aid for residents. Unemployed law graduates in the area, will be engaged to assist in the initiative by offering their services.
“Every Motswana needs legal assistance in every aspect of their lives,” said Nkaigwa.
“The trust will also offer financial services advice. Graduates in business studies such as myself will be roped in to provide others with business skills.
“The trust could also assist the youth to access government schemes such as CEDA applications.
“We will bring all young people with business expertise to help others.” Through the trust, Nkaigwa said, members of the community could also develop themselves by forming metshelo. Interest accrued could be used towards development projects such as the construction of internal roads.
“With a business studies background, we don’t always have to look to government for development projects,” he said.
Nkaigwa said other projects that he will push for if elected, include an integrated sewer project. He plans to lobby government to financially assist people in low-income areas to connect to the sewerage system and is proposing that government set up a fund for this purpose.
“Gaborone could become a greener city if water from the sewerage plant could be reticulated back into the city and be utilised,” says Nkaigwa.
On housing, the Babusi councillor believes government should promote home ownership instead of land ownership and rather than allocating a plot to one individual, it should be building multi-high rise apartments on that piece of land to accommodate more people.
Nkaigwa also believes government should come up with measures to curb the sale of land by Batswana to foreigners.
“If you look at Gaborone in the next five years, half the land will be owned by foreigners,” he said.
“Government should subsidise home ownership. We could afford it if government gave us a helping hand.”
The youthful Mayor has identified unemployment as another motivator for his run for the National Assembly.
“Where is it that we are making money as a country? Have we satisfied the needs in that sector? We should be setting up industries that can educate Batswana on the beneficiation process,” he says.
“If you look at the mining industry, it is dominated by foreigners. I am saying, let us empower our people through these industries.
“Why is government not assisting Batswana to set up diamond cutting companies. I believe it can be done.”
Nkaigwa says he plans to advocate for the improvement of workers’ conditions once elected. He wants government to scrap the A and B salary bands in its salary structure and start with the C band.
“The A and B bands, are offering workers slave wages.” The informal sector is also an important area for Nkaigwa and he plans to move legislation to cater for its various actors. Nkaigwa says mega-shopping complexes should have small cubicles set aside cater for the informal sector.
“Informal traders are an important part of the economy and need to be supported. “I am going to influence policy so that the informal sector can be regulated,” he says.
The 37 year-old Masunga native has come a long way in politics since his University of Botswana days, when he was once a Botswana National Front follower before being recruited by Botswana Democratic Party UB branch, GS-26.
He honed his leadership skills at GS-26 and began playing an active role in party activities. During the 1999 general elections, Nkaigwa was Margaret Nasha’s campaign manager for Gaborone Central.
It was through the efforts of Nkaigwa and other Young Turks that the BDP ended wrested away the seat from the opposition.
In 2009, residents of Gaborone South approached Nkaigwa to stand as their parliamentary candidate, a request which he turned down due to work commitments. A compromise was reached that he should contest as a council candidate for Babusi ward in the constituency.
During the 2009, the BDP won which had been the domain of the opposition for some time. Nkaigwa says during their campaign, it was clear that he was more popular than the sitting parliamentary candidate. “People were asking me why I decided to stand as a councillor,” he said.
“I garnered many votes that turned the tide in the parliamentary level.” Nkaigwa says when the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) was formed, he defected to it as he felt it was a step in the right direction. “Even before I left BDP, I had mobilised my people. I took an informed decision that I don’t regret. They (BDP) tried to lure me back but I refused.
“I believe in where I am is where I belong. I started my politics in the opposition and for me going back to the opposition is like going back home.”
In October, Nkaigwa will be up against area MP Keletso Rakhudu of the BDP and the Botswana Congress Party hopeful Motsei Rapelana.