Africa-Press – Botswana. Government remains steadfast in fulfilling promises it made in the manifesto leading to the 2024 general elections.
Speaking during the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) gala dinner in Gaborone on Saturday, President Advocate Duma Boko indicated that the UDC remained committed to delivering on its promises and on leading the country to prosperity.
President Boko said though the pace of transformational change could turn out to be frustrating to many, the nation should remain optimistic as government was in the process of delivering on its well-crafted vision.
“One of the visions we had pre-election was the commitment that we will pay our pensioners P1 800 per month and that remains a solemn pledged commitment that the new government would never backtrack from,” President Boko said.
He said government was also unapologetic of attaining the P4 000 minimum wage promised during the general elections campaign trail.
“If we pay our people less than P4 000 and we are able to declare astronomical levels of profit, we would then had undervalued their labour thus disrespected the workforce and subjected it to exploitation though still expecting them to be proactive and drive the economy to greater heights,” he said.
Additionally, President Boko said discussions on the amendment of the Constitution would soon resume.
He said the country’s constitution had long time been vertically enforced between the citizens and the state adding that government was keen to ensure that the new Constitution would be enforceable horizontally between capita and the state where the state would lay down guidelines.
He said there was an urgent need to address the institutional failing and other deficits in the government systems.
“These routinised and collectivised forms of behaviours that now defines a particular culture in the civil service must change, but they would not surely change overnight hence we have to be very methodological and strategic in how we prioritise issues,” he said.
President Boko thus pleaded with all citizenry to fully participate in the anticipated constitution amendments debates citing that all those outside the UDC should participate openly and publicly secured in the knowledge that nothing harmful would happen to them.
He nonetheless encouraged those within the UDC, to contribute to the debates and criticise government mindful of the fact that there were certain protocols that regulated their conducts thus they must use the availed internal platforms to critic.
President Boko cautioned that for those within the UDC, they may fully criticise within the internal platforms availed but being cognizant that engaging in any criticism outside the set protocols could be tantamount to organisational indiscipline.
Also, President Boko pleaded with the electorate to always keep in touch and keep track of their Members of Parliament and share with them draft amendments that would be beneficial in building the new Botswana.
Meanwhile, Minister for State President, Mr Moeti Mohwasa said the UDC was committed and focused on improving the welfare of Batswana as testament by some of the reforms accomplished within a short period since assuming power.
Some of the reforms, he said included the proposed increment on old age pensioners’ allowance with effect from April, provision of free sanitary pads to pupils as well as the amendment of the Public Service Act to pave way for the bargaining council and transforming Chema Chema from a revolving loan scheme to a grant.
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