P100 million Bot50 joke

Kgotlafela. PIC: KAGISO ONKATSWITSE
Kgotlafela. PIC: KAGISO ONKATSWITSE

Enhancers of public budgeting transparency have accused coordinators of Botswana’s golden jubilee independence celebrations of secretiveness and non-openness. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) raised the concern when Bot50 coordinator, Charity Kghotlafela stated that despite not having a clear and final plan of activities leading to the 50th independence anniversary, there was a likelihood the P100 million budget may run short.

The extra-financing has not been specified yet. According to organisers, budget supplementation will be considered only in need to raise public morale. With just a little over two months left to the major celebration, the coordinating committee was to meet yesterday to draw a budgetary breakdown of all activities that prelude Botswana Day as well as headlining events. 

Kgotlafela made the startling revelation about Bot50, when the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture (MYSC), which is overseeing the celebrations, made an appearance before the PAC this week. To this end, the coordinators say the bulk of the money, P14 million, has so far gone into production of choreography, with a theatrical fusion that chronicles the birth of sovereign Botswana from 1966 to date.

Editor's Comment
Public servants deserve better than union infighting

‘The strongest bond of human sympathy outside the family relation should be one uniting working people of all nations and tongues and kindreds’.- Abraham LincolnUntil then, the Council’s operations remain suspended, delaying critical decisions affecting thousands of public sector employees.The current standoff is between the Manual Workers Union on one side and the Six Cooperating Trade Unions, namely BONU, BOPEU, BTU, BDU, BOSETU and...

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