PCB seeks legal recourse

Experience with the Botswana legislative system shows that Parliamentary process is, in the majority of instances, merely a rubber-stamping exercise. It would therefore come as no surprise to us that the bill would in fact pass into law. Within the internal ambit of this process, our hope lies with the President, who is empowered under the Constitution to assent or refuse to assent to a Bill passed by Parliament. Before he assents to a bill, it cannot pass into law.

The President is obviously aware of the public outcry and objections to the bill in the form in which it has been presented to Parliament. He is, however, yet to pronounce his position on the intended law. We say this quite appreciative of the fact that it was his Executive that initiated the bill and that he must have instructed the Minister of Information, Science and Technology, Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi, to have it drafted and presented to Parliament in the form it is.