F/town wants 2nd Parliament

PATRICIA MAGANU
Staff Writer | Friday November 30, 2007 00:00

 

The motion was passed at the ongoing full council meeting yesterday after a heated debate on the motion that was tabled by Itekeng ward councillor Sam Masunga. Even though Masunga himself seemed unsure of his motion, the councillors argued the motion amongst themselves until it was passed.

The motion, which suggested that the council should adopt a motion calling on the Office of the President (OP) to consider establishing a second parliament in the city of Francistown, polarised councillors.

Some civic leaders felt that Masunga should have tabled a motion suggesting that parliament be brought to the people in circuits and not that it should be relocated to the northern city.

Councillor Motlatsi Molapise said that some of his colleagues were complicating matters by suggesting that Parliament should relocate to Francistown.

'You are complicating his (Masunga's) motion. I thought the motion was calling for circuits just like the courts. If you are calling for the relocation of Parliament then it is not possible, we cannot waste our time debating impossible things like that,' he said.

Molapise, who is a former mayor, said it would have been better if the councillors suggested 'taking parliament to the people' like it is the case in South Africa.

Another councillor who was against the motion is Interest Tawele, who said that talking about relocating Parliament was a waste of time.

'We are trying to raise people's expectations for nothing. This is a motion that sounds good on the surface but if you look deeper it is something that will almost never happen,' he stated. Tawele suggested that Masunga should withdraw the motion and table it in a different context at the next council meeting.

'The idea of circuits is much more realistic. We can upgrade these council chambers and work on accommodation and the Parliament can be brought to the people and not to Francistown only, in other places too,' he added. Councillor Ignatius Moswaane, who thought the motion should be amended, said it was an impossible proposition.

'Our economy does not allow us. We have many other things we need in Francistown, much more than the Parliament. So the motion can be amended to say we want to take Parliament to the people,' he said.

Some of the councillors, who agreed with the motion, asserted that it would be good for the development of Francistown and regulate the unbalanced development of the two cities.

Councillor Rebecca Nshakazhogwe said that it would not be a problem to bring the National Assembly to Francistown.

'We have over 83, 000 people in Francistown. It is a vision that can get us where we want to go. Even the investors that we are yearning to see in Francistown would come here because even land is not a problem here, we have Gerald, the upper greater Francistown,' she said.

Councillor James Kgalajwe said that they needed the 'law making body of the government' to be in Francistown. 'We have to avoid this thing of keeping everything in Gaborone. Francistown should benefit from the growth of the economy and this could also benefit tourism,' he said.

Kgalajwe also suggested that when Parliament moves, the Speaker and his staff could stay in Francistown. Former mayor Peter Ngoma said it 'is not impossible' for Parliament to move to Francistown, as some councillors were saying.

'In fact it should move to Francistown. It does not matter where a house is located. Parliament or Ntlo ya Dikgosi can be in any town in this country,' he added. Ngoma said for Francistown to get a High Court a need had arisen, 'and this case is not any different'.

The mover of the motion, Masunga, said there should be a second parliament in Francistown. He said that would boost the economy in that two or three months parliament would be in session.

But District Commissioner (DC) Sylvia Muzila disagreed, saying Francistown had other things to worry about than parliament.

'As and when we pass motions we should look at what value we could be adding. We should look at our priorities. We still need senior secondary schools, we still need the district hospital and we still need that university, which did not come here and many other things,' she said. Muzila said that she did not think FCC was in a good position to talk about a second university.

The second university is to be built in Palapye.