Members of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) South East region have given a motion advocating for mandatory qualifications for both councillors and Members of Parliament (MP) a thumbs down.
The motion, presented by the Mochudi West constituency, was rejected during the regional congress held at Tlokweng's Matlala Community Junior Secondary School on Sunday. The Mochudi West BDP constituency had put forth the proposal that individuals aspiring to hold positions as councillors and MPs should possess specific qualifications. Councillors would require a minimum of a Junior Certificate (JCE), while legislators should hold a bachelor's degree. Currently, eligibility for these positions merely necessitates the ability to read and write, without a formal qualification requirement.
Still on the subject of MPs and councillors, the members also advocated for nominations for these roles to be conducted once based on merit and with candidates bringing unique skills and expertise. This was confirmed by the regional deputy chairperson, Seilatsatsi Kgokong, during a recent interview.
“There are some resolutions that were adopted and those that were rejected. Three were agreed and two were withdrawn while nine motions were rejected. All the motions that were agreed on will be taken to the party office. Those motions will be debated at the extraordinary congress and some at the party council," Kgokong explained.
