Vice President, Slumber Tsogwane, says the five-year strategic plan for the Department of Tribal Administration will elevate the powers of dikgosi to make them commensurate with their responsibilities and relevance in the country’s governance structures.
Speaking at a capacity building workshop for members of Ntlo ya Dikgosi this morning, Tsogwane said government recognises bogosi as a unifying force in forging and maintaining national identity.
The strategic plan for Tribal Administration runs from 2018 to 2023.
“The bogosi institution is enshrined in the constitution and is one of the key achievements of our constitution,” Tsogwane said.
“It is one of the key achievements of our multicultural society and democracy.
“In this regard, the democratic Botswana recognises the important place of our dikgosi in the lives of many of our communities.”
The Vice President said the workshop would empower chiefs to approach critical issues affecting Batswana such as poverty, unemployment and inequality.
“The global economy remains stagnant and our country faces the problem of slow growth. To address these problems government has placed on the table to support small businesses and smallholder farmers.
“Government also wants to see a revival of rural enterprises and more support will be provided to the sector,” Tsogwane said.
A major item for discussion on the chiefs’ agenda in this sitting will be the amendment of the Stock-theft Bill, a topical issue given the alarming level of stock-theft around the country.
