"Only late president Khama had a state funeral"

ONALENNA MODIKWA
Staff Writer | Friday November 25, 2011 00:00

Since independence in 1966, only the late former president Sir Seretse Khama, was accorded a state funeral.

The explanation, which was read out by Town Clerk Mompati Seleka, was in response to a question from Councillor Lekang Mukokomani in the last ordinary full council meeting.

He said it was in terms of the Green Book that only a serving President and serving Vice President are accorded a state funeral.

The Green Book is an official document that provides answers to questions regarding payment of privileges to the President, the Vice President, ministers, the Speaker, assistant ministers, the Deputy Speaker and the Leader of the Opposition.

The rest are accorded a standard funeral the benefit sum of which is also periodically determined by Cabinet.

Seleka said though the country had lost 'quite a number' of people who had served in various public capacities, most of them had either retired from active politics or had lost their seats in elections.

They were given their due benefits as stipulated in the Green Book and the Ministers and National Assembly Gratuities and Pensions Act.

Seleka said 893 people had received Presidential honours and awards since 1967, the specific honours and awards being Naledi Ya Botswana, Cross Gallantry, Presidential Order of Honour, Presidential Order of Meritorious Service, Presidential Order of Botswana and Presidential Certificate of Honour.

The Town Clerk said he did not know which political parties the nominees belong to as political affiliation was not a prerequisite for nomination and was never taken into consideration.

Structures aimed at enhancing objectivity and inclusiveness of the process had been established to facilitate nomination and the selection process for Botswana Honours. 

Explaining the process, Seleka said the National Selection Committee evaluates nominees based on national impact of the person, innovation, special leadership qualities or special talent and length of service to the nation.

Councillor Mukokomani had wanted to know how many people had been accorded state funerals since 1966, who they were and why other legislators did not have state funerals.

He also wanted to know how many people had received Presidential honours and awards since 1966, who they were, how many were members of the Botswana Democratic Party, how many were members of opposition parties and the criteria used to determine the candidates. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Lands and Housing has indicated that insuring Self-Help Housing Agency loans was not possible under the current arrangement.

In response to Councillor Mukokomani's motion that sought to have SHHA loans insured, the ministry said it did not see the wisdom of introducing such a facility under the current arrangement where government was the 100 percent financier of the low interest scheme.

If the loans were insured, the premiums would be passed on to the applicants.

With the current default rate of SHHA beneficiaries, the additional burden of premiums was likely to prove difficult to bear, the ministry said. 'Under the current arrangement, it is the government which is exposed to the risk of loan default,' is said.

'This programme was introduced specifically to serve a target group of society with limited financial resources.