Speaking after the Ntlo ya Dikgosi debate of the Constitutional (Amendment) Bill No4 of 2024, Gaborone said Bogosi is important and full of wisdom and should not be looked down upon. He commended Ntlo ya Dikgosi for the debate on the constitution amendment Bill. “I listened to something on Thursday evening. Some people were talking about where they are around our debate on the Bill. They have their right to freedom of speech. In this house, you can see the true wisdom of the institution of Bogosi in this republic. Bogosi bo kgona go bona dilo tse gongwe ba bangwe ba sa di boneng. Mme ebile Bogosi bo kgona go akanya dilo tse dingwe, tse batho ba bangwe ba sa kgoneng go di akanya,” he said. Loosely translated, he said while there are doubts about Bogosi as an institution, Ntlo ya Dikgosi oozes true wisdom by Bogosi.
Gaborone said it was clearly stated in the bible that Dikgosi must be respected as there is wisdom in Bogosi beyond the human mind. He said Bogosi always find a way even when it is tough. “If I was a drafter of the law, I would draft one stating that there shall continue to be an institution called Bogosi,” he said. Gaborone also thanked government for obeying the law and bringing the bill to them. Meanwhile, Gaborone shared their summarised resolutions following their weeklong debate. He shared that the House resolved to support the following clauses without amendments: 1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 A. 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27,28, 29, 30, 31, 32, and 33. In terms of resolutions on the Bill. Ntlo Ya Dikgosi has adopted the resolutions here: Meanwhile, Gaborone shared that Dikgosi had resolved to support the following clauses as they were presented without amendments: Clause 2d, Section 3 that the right to shelter be included under fundamental rights; Clause 3, Section 7 of the Constitution that after the amendment of Section 3 above, the protection of the right to shelter be included under fundamental rights; Clause 17, Section 77 b of the Constitution that Section 77 b be amended by adding the following new words “performing functions of Dikgosi” immediately following the words ‘10 persons’; Clause 18, Section 78 of the Constitution Ntlo Ya Dikgosi resolves that the selection of the two persons to Ntlo Ya Dikgosi administrative districts should not include cities and towns as they have a different set-up and that only people who are appointed under the Bogosi Act should be selected to Ntlo Ya Dikgosi. Parliament will convene in a special meeting on May 20, 2023, to consider the Bill.
