Parley steps out of the Executive's shadow

Speaking yesterday during a ceremony Botswana has never held before, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Dithapelo Keorapetse and Leader of Opposition (LoO) Dumelang Saleshando hailed the rationale of the official opening of Parliament’s Legislative business being the third meeting of the second session of the 13th Parliament. The Speaker said this inaugural official opening of Parliament's Legislative business represents a deliberate institutional statement that the legislature ought not to be an appendage of the Executive but a co-equal branch of the government, operationally independent and constitutionally empowered.

He emphasised that they were not merely opening a meeting but were opening a new chapter in Botswana's journey of democratic consolidation. Keorapetse added this ceremony required no amendment to Standing Orders, only the will to establish it, which the Leader of the House and the LoO, together with the Office of the Clerk, have shown by making the day possible.