Africa-Press – Botswana. The inflow of multinationals into Botswana and a host of developments demonstrate the seriousness of Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) led government to deliver on the promises it made to electorates during the 2019 general elections.
The Vice-President and BDP Chairman, Mr Slumber Tsogwane said this when officiating at the BDP Tati East 2019 victory celebration in Masunga on Saturday.
He cited recent premier of the HB Botswana diamond cutting and polishing factory and the state visit by President of the Swiss Confederation, Mr Alain Berset as some of the highlights of many positives that came to Botswana with a huge potential to create employment for Batswana.
He described the hosting of Forbes under 30 last year that is coming back again in April this year, and the that of the US-Africa business summit as great achievements that would further project the economic landscape of Botswana. All this, he said, was thanks to the hard work put in by President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi.
To that end Mr Tsogwane called on Batswana to continue entrusting the ruling party with the mandate to rule. “Ours is a manifesto that is not only distinct but people-centred.
This is part of the reason many of you have voted for BDP in past elections and the same cannot be said by the opposition,” he said adding that this was despite the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The BDP led-government was able to achieve all these notwithstanding the setbacks occasioned by the disease that hemorrhaged national coffers. I am happy we never relented in our quest to save lives,” he said.
Mr Tsogwane told democrats that the fore-sightedness of President Masisi’s led government had ensured the economy recovered quickly through the formulation of Transformational Plan (ERTP) as well as RESET agenda.
“Through our resilience, we were able to save lives despite some in the opposition despising our efforts to contain the disease. They told Batswana that the government’s interventions were a trick to steal money,” he said.
A ban imposed on some horticultural products, he said, was another achievement meant to ensure the country’s food security. the BDP Chairman expressed discontent at the rising number of Gender-Based Violence cases.
He said government would mobilise all its resources to do away with the phenomenon the same way it did other misfortunes that befell the nation.
He was however happy that strategies employed by law enforcement agencies to push back heists were bearing fruit and warned those harbouring evil intentions that they would meet the full wrath of the law.
The same he said went for fugitives who had skipped the country’s borders saying the long arm of the law would catch them.
The party Secretary General, Mr Kavis Kario commended the people of Tati East for voting for his party during the 2019 general elections.
“We have the best policies and programmes and we mean business,” he said challenging democrats to vote for the BDP council candidate during the April 29 bye-elections for Nhlakhwane, Mapoka, and Kgari ward.
Shashe West MP, Mr Fidelis Molao also spoke about the achievements of the BDP government since the 2019 polls.
The BDP, he said, was the only party that had the interest of Batswana at heart as evidenced by the many years it had been in government.
He said due to economic hardships, the BDP government would soon exempt commodities such as cooking oil, gas, pads, salt and bread flower from Value Added Tax (VAT).
Mr Molao also informed the gathering that those who procured tractors and farming implements would also be exempted from paying VAT.
“Let me also take this opportunity to inform farmers that we have successfully contained the FMD that broke out in our district last year,” he said.
He echoed other speakers’ pleas to vote for the BDP council candidate come April 29, 2023 bye-elections. Another speaker, Ms Beauty Manake said the weekend victory rally was a way to celebrate the many achievements that had been made possible by BDP since the country gained self-rule in 1966.
The BDP-led government, she said had done a great deal to better the lives of Botswana and wanted to do more. She gave an example of the leather park earmarked for Lobatse, whsich she said was coming adding women’s representation in decision-making positions was top priority for BDP government.
“The fact that we have six women making up the cabinet is an indication of the seriousness of the narrative to empower women,” she said.
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