State of the Nation Address 2017 [full text]
Monday, November 06, 2017
1. Madam Speaker, before beginning, I would kindly request that we observe a moment of silence in remembrance of all those who have departed during the last year.
2. Madam Speaker, Honourable Members, the opening of this Assembly is an annual opportunity for us to reaffirm our collective values and aspirations, as well as interrogate the ongoing performance of our public institutions, as we work to better the lives of Batswana.
It highlights the need to protect rights such as access to clean water, education, healthcare and freedom of expression.President Duma Boko, rightly honours past interventions from securing a dignified burial for Gaoberekwe Pitseng in the CKGR to promoting linguistic inclusion. Yet, they also expose a critical truth, that a nation cannot sustainably protect its people through ad hoc acts of compassion alone.It is time for both government and the...