Africa-Press – Botswana. The special sitting of Parliament will on today discuss Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2024 (Bill No. 4 of 2024).
Deputy Speaker of National Assembly, Mr Pono Moatlhodi said in an interview that, assuming that every member would contribute to the discussion, the sitting would likely take plus or minus 30 days.
He said the Bill that was referred to Ntlo Ya Dikgosi after it was read the first time, would be tabled for second reading, following which, its discussion by legislators would start.
Mr Moatlhodi said after all legislators had contributed to the Bill, it may be referred to the public in the form of referendum before the President appended signature that endorsed the Constitutional amendment.
Minister for State President, Mr Kabo Morwaeng first tabled the bill mid-April and it was referred to Ntlo Ya Dikgosi for the traditional leaders to make their submissions before it goes for second reading.
On December 2021, President, Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi established the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the Review of the Constitution, that was tasked to gather contributions from Batswana across the country, to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the Constitution, and determine necessary amendments based on feedback from the people.
The exercise marked the first comprehensive inquiry into the Constitution, following some previous reviews that focused on some specific sections of the Constitution.
After conducting meetings in all 57 constituencies, the commission submitted a report to the President with 93 recommendations of which 31 related to the constitution, 39 related to primary legislation while 23 were policy focused.
Proposed amendments include enshrining in the Constitution, the right to health, education, and work in Clause 2 of the bill, while Clauses 5 and 6 of the bill seeks to protect and prohibit the discrimination of intersex persons and persons with disability.
Other proposed amendments in clauses 8, 12 and 14 to introduce measures to ensure that a retired President who has served an aggregate period of 10 years would not be eligible for re-election in any political office.
Clause 11 of the Bill incorporates in Section 58(2) changes to increase the number of specially elected Members of National Assembly from six to 10. Specially Elected Members of Parliament would also be stripped off from holding office if they change political allegiance after election.
Clauses 17, 18 and 19 incorporate in Sections 77, 78 and 79 (1) to enable the Constitution to provide a vires for Parliament to enact the necessary legislation which will determine the criteria used to select Members of Ntlo Ya Dikgosi in a neutral manner and not along tribal lines.
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