Masisi promises jobs
Chakalisa Dube | Tuesday August 16, 2016 16:22
On Saturday while the youth held a march in the capital city Gaborone to protest against severe unemployment, Masisi held his own crusade in Francistown, promising employment to Batswana particularly the youth.
Masisi, who was in the second city in his capacity as the chairman of Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), revealed some of their employment creation plans, when officiating at the ruling party’s Francistown region fund raising dinner.
“We are working on bringing companies to set up power plants which will generate electricity using solar energy and gas. We have agreed with those companies in principle that they will come to Botswana to start their operations,” Masisi said.
Masisi who said details about the projects will be made public in due course said, “Beginning this year and next year you will see the boom of solar and gas power stations. All these projects are geared towards employment creation”.
He added that the construction of another independent power station, which will use coal from Morupule, would commence this year or sometime next year.
“Apart from creating employment from 2018/19 we will have enough electricity to constantly sustain the country. The planned coal power station is also one project that will create a sizeable number of jobs.”
He said the government, which has often been faulted for not keeping its promise, would deliver the promised jobs to Batswana. Masisi said the Economic Stimulus Package (ESP) will run for the next two fiscal years excluding the current financial year, and it would create jobs.
The VP said that he hoped that the project, which has been described as less effective by many critics, would take shape and achieve its intended purpose of improving the vibrancy of the economy as government continues to roll it.
He said in the next two financial years the government would fund ESP separately.
Of recent there has been mounting pressure on the government to create more jobs particularly for the youth.
Out of frustration the youth have even staged several protests calling for the government to arrest unemployment, which pundits’ say is spiralling out of control.
The most notable unemployment protest last week saw some youth lining up at Parliament, demanding that government creates jobs for over 20,000 graduates roaming the streets. In response, the police sjamboked and detained some of the protesters.