• Mining sector endures worst recessionMay 27, 2025
    Mining shows zero confidence on better business conditions Weaker global demand of rough diamonds trouble the sector Other sectors optimistic about improved conditions in 2025   BAKANG TIRO RelatedPosts Mining sector endures worst recession Who is the PSP PROTECTING?… Read more: Mining sector endures worst recession
  • Who is the PSP PROTECTING?May 27, 2025
    “She is protecting those facing corruption probe, hence removing DCEC intelligence head”- claim The DCEC recently confirmed that it was investigating some senior govt officials   DITIRO MOTLHABANE RelatedPosts Mining sector endures worst recession Who is the PSP PROTECTING?… Read more: Who is the PSP PROTECTING?
  • TIKI MEDIA * Head Branding SolutionsMay 26, 2025
    RelatedPosts TIKI MEDIA * Head Branding Solutions WILDERNESS AIR * Quality Assurance Manger MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INNOVATION * Deputy Director – Department of Shared Digital Services * Director – Research and Knowledge Business
  • WILDERNESS AIR * Quality Assurance MangerMay 26, 2025
    RelatedPosts TIKI MEDIA * Head Branding Solutions WILDERNESS AIR * Quality Assurance Manger MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INNOVATION * Deputy Director – Department of Shared Digital Services * Director – Research and Knowledge Business
  • MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INNOVATION * Deputy Director – Department of Shared Digital Services * Director – Research and Knowledge BusinessMay 26, 2025
    RelatedPosts TIKI MEDIA * Head Branding Solutions WILDERNESS AIR * Quality Assurance Manger MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INNOVATION * Deputy Director – Department of Shared Digital Services * Director – Research and Knowledge Business
  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Analysis & Opinions
  • Vacancies & Tenders
  • Login
  • Register
Sunday, June 1, 2025
-6 °c
Columbus
6 ° Sat
13 ° Sun
15 ° Mon
16 ° Tue
The Patriot On Sunday
Advertisement
  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Analysis & Opinions
  • Vacancies & Tenders
No Result
View All Result
Cart / $0.00

No products in the cart.

  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Analysis & Opinions
  • Vacancies & Tenders
No Result
View All Result
The Patriot On Sunday
No Result
View All Result
Home News

BDP clips Opposition wings

patriot by patriot
July 20, 2022
in News
242
0
Keorapetse, Hikuama and Tshabang

Keorapetse, Hikuama and Tshabang

491
SHARES
1.4k
VIEWS
ShareShareShare
  • Remove opposition MPs from Parliament committees
  • Urgent motion brings committees under BDP control
  • Only MPs with specialties to lead committees – Healy

BAKANG TIRO

editors@thepatriot.co.bw

RelatedPosts

Who is the PSP PROTECTING?

BDP shakes BPF

Civil Service salary talks begin

Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) Parliamentary caucus has resolved to remove all opposition MPs from leading parliamentary committees, thus paving the way for BDP MPs to take control, The Patriot on Sunday can reveal.

By Thursday, the BDP had made up their mind to take full control of Parliament by deploying only its legislators in the leadership of Parliamentary committees, a strategy calculated to weaken the influence of opposition MPs in the august house.

BDP has 44 MPs followed by the opposition coalition Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) with 14 MPs, Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) with four (4) and Alliance for Progressives (AP) with one (1). From 44 of BDP MPs, 38 are elected while six (6) are Specially Elected Members of Parliament (SEMPs).

On Friday, Gaborone Central BDP MP, Tumisang Healy tabled before Parliament an urgent motion calling for the house to dissolve committees with immediate effect as they do not reflect a true picture of numbers in Parliament. According to Healy, BDP being the majority in Parliament is not represented well in committees. “Since we came back from 2019 general elections there has been a number of defections with some MPs crossing floor and other ones appointed to cabinet. The current committees in their form don’t reflect the real representation of parliament. We need to correct this anomaly,” said Healy.

Political commentator, Frank Mogotsi said the plan by BDP is to take control of Parliament. He said it is unnecessary for the Parliament committees to be formed based on political alignment. “It amounts to politicizing Parliament committees. Committees are not an extension of cabinet but what the BDP wants now is to have the committees controlled by cabinet. Also, it is important to note that a number of committees arecurrently chaired by opposition MPs, hence BDP want them out in favour of their own,” he said.

Umbrella for Democratic MP for Ngami Carter Hikuama said he is against the motion because Parliamentary committees have been working very well. He noted that the committees are bound to be diluted by the politicisation that BDP wants. “We have committees and they formed quorums and served very well without any problems. There is no urgency in this motion and its intention is to make committees extension of cabinet,” he said.  

Healy’s motion reads; “That this Honourable House resolves as a matter of urgency to suspend the Standing Order 98.1 and proceed to dissolve all the Committees of Parliament and direct the Committee of Selection to expeditiously constitute the new Parliamentary Committees within three (3) days, reflecting the composition of Parliament as much as possible”.

Also, Healy said it is important for people with certain qualifications to be in charge of committees. “We should restructure and allow the MPs with certain specialties to be leading committees. For example, we have BDP MP Thapelo Matsheka who is an economics guru and he is not even in the finance and economic committee which is led by Onneetse Ramogapi. We also have the former foreign affairs minister and legal guru Dr Unity Dow not in the foreign affairs committee,” said Healy on Friday.

Electoral reforms

Meanwhile, Mogotsi said it is important for Botswana to adopt the inclusive electoral reforms. He said the current the First-Past-The Post (FPTP) electoral system now used locally is overdue. “Electoral systems are manipulative instruments and determine how policies or laws are made by the ruling parties.  Now what the BDP is doing by seeking for parliamentary committees to be under the manipulation of BDP under pretext of majority. Time has come for Botswana to adopt the electoral systems such as the proportional representation which is common across Africa,” he said.

The proportional representation, he said, it offers greater and more representative choice for voters. “For example, all members of the community ranging from disabled people, business community and the religious or sport sector will have their interests represented in parliament with certain MPs who have background from any of this sectors elected. This allows for greater consensus in policy making. But it is sad that we didn’t hear people advocating for this reform in constitutional review tour,” he said.

Related

Get real time update about this post categories directly on your device, subscribe now.

Unsubscribe
Previous Post

Bolele enters BDP SG race?

Next Post

Prince Harry says Meghan became his ‘Soulmate’ in Botswana

Related Posts

Who is the PSP PROTECTING?
News

Who is the PSP PROTECTING?

May 27, 2025
BDP shakes BPF
News

BDP shakes BPF

May 26, 2025
Civil Service salary talks begin
News

Civil Service salary talks begin

May 19, 2025
Mine workers blast Boko
News

Mine workers blast Boko

May 19, 2025
Khama pokes Motshegwa
News

Khama pokes Motshegwa

May 13, 2025
Europe Day 2025 – Celebrating 75 Years of Unity and Solidarity
News

Europe Day 2025 – Celebrating 75 Years of Unity and Solidarity

May 12, 2025
Next Post
Prince Harry says Meghan became his ‘Soulmate’ in Botswana

Prince Harry says Meghan became his ‘Soulmate’ in Botswana

Please login to join discussion
  • Mining sector endures worst recessionMay 27, 2025
    Mining shows zero confidence on better business conditions Weaker global demand of rough diamonds trouble the sector Other sectors optimistic about improved conditions in 2025   BAKANG TIRO RelatedPosts Mining sector endures worst recession Who is the PSP PROTECTING?… Read more: Mining sector endures worst recession
  • Who is the PSP PROTECTING?May 27, 2025
    “She is protecting those facing corruption probe, hence removing DCEC intelligence head”- claim The DCEC recently confirmed that it was investigating some senior govt officials   DITIRO MOTLHABANE RelatedPosts Mining sector endures worst recession Who is the PSP PROTECTING?… Read more: Who is the PSP PROTECTING?
  • TIKI MEDIA * Head Branding SolutionsMay 26, 2025
    RelatedPosts TIKI MEDIA * Head Branding Solutions WILDERNESS AIR * Quality Assurance Manger MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INNOVATION * Deputy Director – Department of Shared Digital Services * Director – Research and Knowledge Business
  • WILDERNESS AIR * Quality Assurance MangerMay 26, 2025
    RelatedPosts TIKI MEDIA * Head Branding Solutions WILDERNESS AIR * Quality Assurance Manger MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INNOVATION * Deputy Director – Department of Shared Digital Services * Director – Research and Knowledge Business
  • MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INNOVATION * Deputy Director – Department of Shared Digital Services * Director – Research and Knowledge BusinessMay 26, 2025
    RelatedPosts TIKI MEDIA * Head Branding Solutions WILDERNESS AIR * Quality Assurance Manger MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INNOVATION * Deputy Director – Department of Shared Digital Services * Director – Research and Knowledge Business
The Patriot On Sunday

© 2024 Copyright The Patriot On Sunday - Inspired by Search Mart.

Navigate Site

  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Disclaimer
  • Contact Us

Follow Us

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Sign Up
  • Cart
  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Analysis & Opinions
  • Vacancies & Tenders

© 2024 Copyright The Patriot On Sunday - Inspired by Search Mart.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?