Rural areas need roads and water - Habano

LEKOPANYE MOOKETSI
Correspondent | Friday November 26, 2010 00:00

Responding to President Ian Khama's State of the nation address in parliament this week, Habano said it is impossible to talk of eradicating poverty when people are staying in areas that are not easily accessible by road. 

The Ngami MP said basic infrastructure should be set up first.  Habano said most of the villages in his constituency have no electricity and telecommunications systems.

'You can't eradicate poverty in such areas.  You must develop them first,' said Habano.  He said the government can only implement poverty eradication programmes by taking development to the people and not the other way round.  'We can't eradicate poverty if we don't take the infrastructure to the people,' he said.

He said people must be allocated land, adding that government should create employment opportunities that can only be availed if the rural areas are developed.

He said most of the villages in the constituencies do not have the basic facilities.  He gave examples of areas like Makakung and Semboyo.  'There are no good roads to reach such areas.  There is no reliable water supply,' said the legislator. 

He said the theme of the president's State of the nation address focuses on people centred development and poverty eradication.  Habano charged that the president does not talk about putting up the infrastructure. 

Commenting on other issues, the MP said he is in support of calls for a constitutional review.  'If we can continue with the constitution as it is, it will cause chaos for our future generations,' he said.

He attributed the civil wars in other countries to the constitution.  He said in those countries, you would find that the constitution favours certain groups to govern.  'When we talk about the constitution, we should learn from other countries,' said the Ngami legislator. 

'We are not disputing that the constitution has served us well.  But there is need to review it so that it can serve everyone's interests,' he said.  Habano said the country's electoral laws also need to be revisited.  He said the country's electoral laws do not favour the opposition and marginalised groups like women.

Habano was echoing the concerns of other opposition members who are against the post electoral system.   They have noted that although the opposition has a significant percentage when it comes to the popular vote this is not reflected by their representation in parliament.   The opposition members prefer the proportional representation system.

Habano said the same applied to women.  He said even though they are in the majority this is not reflected in parliament.  The legislator said if the constitution were amended, there could be a quota for women MPs. 

He said at the moment, it is difficult for a male dominated parliament to cater for the interests of women. 

Habano took a swipe at the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) members for thinking that they were more patriotic than other Batswana.  'We are all Batswana even opposition members are equally patriotic.  BDP members think they are the only ones who are patriotic.  This country belongs to us all,' he said.

He said there is no Motswana who is more superior to another citizen. 

Responding to Khama's concern that trade unions were involving themselves in politics, Habano said there was nothing wrong with that.  He said trade unions can never divorce themselves from politics.  The MP said even in other countries, trade unions are involved in politics.  He said it was time for people to accept change. 

Habano said while the president spoke about youth empowerment he should have gone further in disclosing the figures of the youth who had benefited from government programmes, the area they come from and their gender.

The MP also called on the Botswana Examination Council (BEC) to brief the parliamentary caucus about the examination crisis.  The MP also proposed that the   Ministry of Education and Skills Development be divided into at least three ministries.