Venson-Moitoi turns unsavoury

The debate, on Okavango MP Bagalatia Arone’s motion asking the Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD) to allow the students to repeat their senior secondary school, was destined to turn ugly following the ministry’s announcement on television last week that the students would be allowed to re-sit exams. The ministry’s announcement effectively killed Arone’s motion as it pre-empted parliament’s discussions. The motion was defeated after a 19-14 vote.

But discussions became really ugly when Venson-Moitoi rose to debate on Friday, when it was clear she had taken exception to MP Gibson Nshimwe’s plea that the minister “swallow her pride” and withdraw the announcement. Venson-Moitoi said that she did not like the insinuation that her ministry was taking the future of the students lightly. “Ga nkake ka rutwa pelegi ke banna,” she said, explaining that she speaks as a mother who knows labour pains.