Mbaakanyi leads new women's caucus

CHANDAPIWA BAPUTAKI
Staff Writer | Friday October 22, 2010 00:00

 

Mbaakanyi of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) says that women from the different political parties experience the same challenges and there is need to speak with one voice on issues that concern them as women in general.

'Issues such as rape and domestic violence do not look at political boundaries, therefore they compel us to sit and speak with one voice to increase awareness and talk against those issues,' Mbaakanyi said.

She stated that as the new president she would be advocating for the empowerment of women in politics.

'Women are generally affected by poverty and therefore face challenges of lack of resources. That is why right now we do not even have an office for our NGO. Officers therefore cannot implement a plan,' she said.

Mbaakanyi said women do not stand for political positions, which are expensive to campaign for, because most of them are poor. She said that in countries like Malawi, women are funded to campaign as a way of encouraging them to stand for political positions.

She said there is a need for a political and deliberate decision and action by the political leadership. 'Where there is no political will nothing can be achieved,' she said.

She said political parties are not committed to the empowerment of women. 'In some parties they have a 30 percent quota system for women but in practice we do not see that. There is no quota system being used for women to get into the central committees,' she said, adding that the ruling party does not believe in quotas and that as long as the ruling party has nothing in place the situation cannot change.

The new president stated that during her tenure she would work towards looking for ways to amend the electoral laws.

She explained that first-past-the-post electoral law does not work in favour of the women. She further explained that in countries like Tanzania and Lesotho it favours women as it is mixed with seats, which are reserved for women in parliament or councils. 'We have to look at how laws can be amended,' she said.

Florence Shagwa of the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) was elected the vice-president while Tshepho Warreus of the BDP was elected secretary general. Botswana National Front's (BNF), Naledi Akambakamba, was elected vice secretary general while Marea Sola of the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) was elected treasurer to be helped by Gloria Orufheng of the BDP.

Salome Lesole of the BDP was elected publicity secretary and additional members are Barbara Motopi, Margaret Nasha of the BDP and Letlhogonolo Mabua and Gabapelo Selelo of the BCP.