Botswana Parliament was on Tuesday plunged in a comedy of errors when Deputy Speaker Pono Moatlhodi had to apologise for an omission he had (in)advertently made earlier on the day!
Earlier when announcing the SADC Parliamentary Forum Lobby Team that had visited Botswana to lobby President Mokgweetsi Masisi to sign the Protocol that will establish the SADC PF as a SADC Parliament, Moatlhodi had omitted one very critical and special guest – the Secretary General of SADCPF, Boemo Sekgoma!
The team composed Rt. Hon. Francis Nzwidamilimo Mudenda – MP, Speaker of the National Assembly of Zimbabwe, Rt. Hon. Adv. Phandu Tombola Chaha Skelemani, MP, Speaker of Botswana National Assembly; Hon Speaker Angela Thokozile Didiza, MP, Speaker of National Assembly of South Africa; Rt. Hon Speaker Nelly Butete Kashumba Mutti, SC, MP, Speaker of the National Assembly of Zambaia; Hon. Pedro Sebastiao-MP, Proxy for
Hon. Speaker Carolina Cerqueira, Angola; Hon. Phillipus Katamela, MP, Proxy for the Rt. Hon. Speaker Prof Peter Hitjitevi Katjavivi, Namibia.
Later on the day when the delegation had left National Assembly buildings, Moatlhodi apologised to Members of Botswana’s Parliament for having missed Boemo Sekgoma, a native of Botswana, whom he said should be celebrated for leading the SADCPF on behalf of Botswana as its Secretary General.
But in his usual eccentric nature, PPP, as Moalthodi is fondly called, thanked MP Fidelis Molao for having spotted Sekgoma and making conversation with her – saying, that’s how he also realised that Sekgoma was present!
However, Moatlhodi’s explanation was laced with suggestive insinuations that could be misconstrued to mean that Molao had looked at Sekgoma in a sensual manner. This immediately prompted a request for clarification from
Minister Eric Molale, who pointed out that Molao was a family man to which Moatlhodi vigorously defended himself.
Whatever the fuss, in the end, Moatlhodi managed to reduce the severity of the ‘embarrassment’ that Botswana Parliament had thrown itself in, by failing to recognise one of their own in the midst of regional leaders!
It is believed that the lobby team managed to convince President Masisi to sign. It now remains to be seen what powers the Protocol will give the SADC Parliament.
However, in an earlier interview with Speaker Skelemani, he told this publication that the SADC Parliament will not have any legislative powers, but will confine itself to making model laws.
Already, the SADCPF boasts a number of SADC Model Laws in Public Finance Management, Electoral Management, HIV/AIDS, Child Marriages and others!
Earlier when announcing the SADC Parliamentary Forum Lobby Team that had visited Botswana to lobby President Mokgweetsi Masisi to sign the Protocol that will establish the SADC PF as a SADC Parliament, Moatlhodi had omitted one very critical and special guest – the Secretary General of SADCPF, Boemo Sekgoma!
The team composed Rt. Hon. Francis Nzwidamilimo Mudenda – MP, Speaker of the National Assembly of Zimbabwe, Rt. Hon. Adv. Phandu Tombola Chaha Skelemani, MP, Speaker of Botswana National Assembly; Hon Speaker Angela Thokozile Didiza, MP, Speaker of National Assembly of South Africa; Rt. Hon Speaker Nelly Butete Kashumba Mutti, SC, MP, Speaker of the National Assembly of Zambaia; Hon. Pedro Sebastiao-MP, Proxy for
Hon. Speaker Carolina Cerqueira, Angola; Hon. Phillipus Katamela, MP, Proxy for the Rt. Hon. Speaker Prof Peter Hitjitevi Katjavivi, Namibia.
Later on the day when the delegation had left National Assembly buildings, Moatlhodi apologised to Members of Botswana’s Parliament for having missed Boemo Sekgoma, a native of Botswana, whom he said should be celebrated for leading the SADCPF on behalf of Botswana as its Secretary General.
But in his usual eccentric nature, PPP, as Moalthodi is fondly called, thanked MP Fidelis Molao for having spotted Sekgoma and making conversation with her – saying, that’s how he also realised that Sekgoma was present!
However, Moatlhodi’s explanation was laced with suggestive insinuations that could be misconstrued to mean that Molao had looked at Sekgoma in a sensual manner. This immediately prompted a request for clarification from
Minister Eric Molale, who pointed out that Molao was a family man to which Moatlhodi vigorously defended himself.
Whatever the fuss, in the end, Moatlhodi managed to reduce the severity of the ‘embarrassment’ that Botswana Parliament had thrown itself in, by failing to recognise one of their own in the midst of regional leaders!
It is believed that the lobby team managed to convince President Masisi to sign. It now remains to be seen what powers the Protocol will give the SADC Parliament.
However, in an earlier interview with Speaker Skelemani, he told this publication that the SADC Parliament will not have any legislative powers, but will confine itself to making model laws.
Already, the SADCPF boasts a number of SADC Model Laws in Public Finance Management, Electoral Management, HIV/AIDS, Child Marriages and others!