BDP blocks power, water probe

Gaborone Dam
Gaborone Dam

The Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) used its majority vote in Parliament yesterday to kill the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC)’s urgent motion for a legislative probe into the power and water crises gripping the country.

The motion followed two days of pandemonium in the National Assembly, starting on Monday when security personnel carried UDC Gaborone Central MP, Phenyo Butale out of Parliament after a heated debate over the motion. Deputy Speaker, Kagiso Molatlhegi ordered Butale to be forced out, as tensions rose over the tabling of the urgent motion.

Yesterday morning, UDC leaders held an emotional briefing where they vowed to seek answers for the electricity and water crisis “even if we have to bring Parliament to a standstill”. Tensions were high at the National Assembly ahead of its afternoon sitting, after UDC legislators said they would “use force” to get their motion heard.

Editor's Comment
Boko should stop the fighting and start the delivering

With his theme of 'Delivering on Our Promise, One Step at a Time', he sought to project an image of a focused, determined leader building a new ‘Rome’. Sadly, parts of his speech were not about laying bricks, but about settling old scores.It is deeply worrying that a head of government would use such a pivotal national address to launch another bitter broadside against the media and his political detractors. His portrayal of the...

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