Africa-Press – Botswana. Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse has been elected Speaker of the 13th Parliament following his nomination by President Duma Boko.
The election of Mr Keorapetse was in accordance with Section 59 (1) of the Constitution and he will be the 10th Speaker of the national assembly since 1965.
In his acceptance speech on Thursday, Mr Keorapetse vowed to do his best to serve the nation to and requested Batswana to commit to service the nation’s interests.
“We need to all in our individual capacity and collectively commit to the high calling of service to the Botswana we love so dearly and serve with integrity, wisdom and compassion,” he said.
The former Selibe Phikwe West MP said he was privileged and honoured by the trust bestowed upon him to lead the legislative arm of government.
“I follow on the permanent footsteps of esteemed men and women who held this office in such high rigger from the times of Mr Alfred Merriweather down to Mr Phandu Skelemani,” he said.
Mr Keorapetse also commended Mr Skelemani and his deputy, Mr Pono Moatlhodi for their service to the nation. He said Botswana’s democracy had passed the test of time and that the ruling party had become the opposition, adding that democracy presupposed that rulers were chosen by the ruled and removed by the same group.
He advised the newly elected MPs to act and behave honourably, noting that their acts and actions would be on the spotlight hence the need to be exemplary.
Mr Keorapetse also said the onus was on the new MP’s to decide whether to transform Parliament from its current status to a transformative institution with the ability to provide effective oversight on the executive.
He pleaded with MPs to change Parliament for the better, describing its procedures as essentially the rule of the majority, with a modicum of respect for the minority.
He said the objective was to allow political parties to debate and reach collective decisions by voting with the least possible conflicts.
Mr Keorapetse also said all MPs should have the quest to serve their electorate and pleaded with them from both sides of the aisle to set aside their political affiliations and to strive for the betterment of the citizenries.
“I expect debates to be energetic, well researched and constructive,” he said. Meanwhile, Parliament endorsed Mr Ndaba Gaolathe as the country’s Vice President and elected the MP for Mmopane/Metsimotlhabe, Ms Helen Manyeneng as Deputy Speaker of Parliament with 43 votes against Dr Unity Dow’s 21.
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