In a letter to the council secretary for Tutume Sub District Council that was copied to the Ministry of Local Government dated May 25, the advisory committees mandate is to advise the Village Development Committee (VDC) on development in the village.
The letter that was written after a meeting held in Gaborone, where most of the interim committee is based, questioned why construction of the customary court was delayed, while the Nswazwi and Sebina customary courts that were not budgeted for in NDP 9 and DDP 9 were constructed quickly.
The upgrading of the court was approved at a cost of P2 million, coupled with a 4X4 vehicle costing P160, 000 and office furniture amounting to P25, 000, which after four years exists on paper only. According to the documents attached to the letter, the project review committee approved an extra amount of P5 million for the same customary court in the year 2006/07.
The Nkange Advisory Committee Trust teamed up with the Nkange South ward councillor, Jesi Dema who is an ex-officio member of the committee in questioning the unfair delay.
We wish to register our concern over Nkanges delayed project and reprioritisation an acceleration of projects that have not been budgeted for or provided for and approved, the trust stated.
Members of the trust referred to the Sebina and Nswazwi courts, which are in the home village of the assistant minister who is also the MP for Nkange.
Not only is it unfair, but the constituents are not getting the services to the community which should not be different for residents of Nkange or Sebina.
Since such customary courts were not budgeted for we wonder which criterion was used.
If it is for the recent emergency developments such as the arrival of the Bakalanga ba ka Nswazwi, then Changate village which is under Nkange customary court also received such people, the advisory committee stated in their letter.
They indicated that if the ministry fails to give them a reason for the delay they would appeal to the next office until they reach the Office of the President.
We are concerned with the interests of the people in the village and the developments in our village not for political reasons, stated the chairperson of the trust, Dr James King.
When reached for comment, Masalila said that the HIV/AIDS pandemic should be blamed, as money that was supposed to be used for the projects was used in the fight against the disease, hence the delay of the projects.
It was only after the midterm review of the NDP 9 that this projects should have been implemented and the Nkange customary court was supposed to have been constructed this financial year not next year, he said.
He said the advisory committee was not a formal structure advising the advisory committee to send its grievances to the VDC.
They can blame me but it can be explained because the so called committee should have advised the VDC as we do not have them in our structure.
Projects are dealt with through the VDC, he said, stating that the Nkange customary court is just one of the 122 (customary courts) that should be upgraded in the country.
