Merafe urges filibustering of Shaleshando motion

LEKOPANYE MOOKETSI
Correspondent | Tuesday March 2, 2010 00:00

 

The motion, which aims at a bill calling for a declaration of assets, was tabled by the MP for Gaborone Central, Dumelang Saleshando.

But on Friday, the Minister of Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, Lesego Motsumi said there was no need for Saleshando's motion because she was going to table a similar bill. Motsumi did not state when she would do so or whether it was motivated by Saleshando's motion.

BDP MPs held a caucus last week where they were ordered to reject Saleshando's motion. The Vice President Mompati Merafhe has made it clear that they are not going to allow a member of the opposition to steal the thunder from their party.

'We have (a) responsibility to stop Saleshando from making himself popular with the motion,' the Leader of the House said in Parliament on Friday. We are not going to allow anyone to steal the limelight at our expense. We have the numbers; we must come to Parliament in the strength of our numbers.'

'We are the majority and seriously everything (should be) done on our own terms.  Where have you seen an objective politician? Politicians are motivated by political considerations.

'We are a party and we must have a party position on some issues. We can't come and start talking differently as if we have no organisation. We make no apology  for having a party caucus.' Merafhe said he preferred the bill to be tabled by the Minister of Presidential Affairs and Public Administration but warned that he would not support the proposed law if it meant an intrusion into his privacy. 'We are not going to allow ourselves to be an object of abuse.

'It is going to be drafted according to our terms; that is why we don't want him (Saleshando) to bring the law (here). We don't want it to be drafted in a cavalier manner. The honourable minister will bring the law.  She will bring it at her own time.'

This prompted MP for Kanye South, Abram Kesupile (BNF), to say their position was that the issue of disclosure was consistent with ethical governance. Kesupile said public figures were bound to be subjected to public scrutiny.

'It is the price you have to pay for being a public figure,' he said. Affirming his support for Saleshando's motion, he said if the Gaborone Central MP had not taken action, the status quo would remain. He said he wondered what limelight Merafhe was talking about because Saleshando had already pulled the rug from under their feet by tabling the motion.

As long as Motsumi had not tabled her bill, Saleshando's motion should be passed, especially 'she does not commit herself to a time line', Kesupile said. The MP for Gaborone West South, Botsalo Ntuane, said he supported Saleshando's motion as a matter of principle because there have always been concern about what MPs were hiding. Infact, Ntuane said, even gifts should be declared.

The proposed register for declaring assets should be open to the public if corruption should be more effectively combated. 'We are custodians of the public good, ' Ntuane said.

'We are dealing with good governance. We are creating a mechanism which will exonerate us from accusations.