Keorapetse�s proposal is welcome, but... � Mmolotsi
Goitsemodimo Kaelo | Thursday March 23, 2017 17:50
However, he said the idea should be debated thoroughly before it can be adopted.
“Each one of our members come with an idea, which is then brought for thorough debates. So we welcome it and if he brings it to the caucus, we will debate it, looking at its pros and cons before we decide whether to take it or not,” he said.
The Selebi-Phikwe West legislator this week said he would propose to his opposition colleagues to ditch Parliamentary committees “as they are dysfunctional”. He complained that ruling party MPs, who chair almost all but three of the committees, are frustrating the mandates of the committees. There are 23 Parliament committees.
“I will propose to the opposition caucus that my fellow MPs resign from these committees,” he said.
In an interview with Mmegi, Mmolotsi said Keorapetse’s idea was not debated at the opposition caucus meeting on Tuesday, as it did not form part of the agenda items on the day.
“It was not on the agenda on the day. The caucus discussed our annual plan and day-to-day Parliament business. Those were the lengthy issues that we looked at,” said Mmolotsi.
He said they welcome members’ proposals and added that the issue could come in the next caucus meeting.
The Botswana Movement for Democracy vice president agreed with Keorapetse that Parliament committees are weak and as such dysfunctional. He said the opposition has to look into the matter and think about what has to be done going forward.
The issue on the election of members of the National Assembly standing committees first emanated in 2014 after 20 opposition MPs staged a walkout protesting that they were denied the chairmanship of some committees including the International Parliamentary Union (IPU).
The opposition accused the ruling party of unfairness and coming up with undemocratic criteria of appointing members to these committees.