NDADI is the new BONELA boss

MARANYANE NGWANAAMOTHO
Staff Writer | Wednesday February 17, 2010 00:00

 

Known for his uncompromising human rights position Ndadi, in his element even on the day of his coronation used the occasion to make known his organisation's  stand on human rights issues in prison. He urged government to recognise that prisons have for years remained a brooding place for HIV and new sexually transmitted infections, and should therefore consider providing free condoms.

Ndadi said it is against human rights act that prisoners are not protected from hard-core rapists and criminals that they are exposed to in prisons.  He said that this year, one of the organisation's goals is to vigorously advocate for the provision of condoms in prisons by the government. He stressed that it is wrong for the government to turn a blind eye on this matter despite testimonies from prisoners that there is unprotected and forced sexual intercourse among inmates and that they are scared for their lives. 

Ndadi also promised that his organisation would take cases of gay rights and non-citizen inmates and refugees' access to ARVs head on.  'It is through litigation that we can make meaningful impact to lives of ordinary inhabitants,' he said. 

The youthful director has urged the government to realise that there is need for legal representation on issues of HIV/AIDS and the work place.

He said that BONELA should not be perceived as an organisation that always wants to take the government to court, but as an organisation that has an advocacy role to rescue the least privileged on matters where their HIV/AIDS status is used against them, especially in the work place.  'Botswana does not, at present, have legal aid at national level and BONELA has effectively and diligently provided this service free of charge to aggrieved clients,' he said.   He urges communities at different levels, be it schools, churches and workplaces, to identify issues and work hand in hand with BONELA to address them.   BONELA is well known for its activism on matters of stigma and discrimination in society and more importantly the workplace. Yesterday, Ndadi was appointed as the new director of the organisation after acting for over six months. 

The 28-year-old director joined BONELA after he completed his law degree in 2006.  He has been involved with BONELA from as far back as 2004 when he volunteered in the then new and very small Legal Aid Department.