NO TO CONCOURT

Member of Parliament for Maun North, Dumelang Saleshando, has urged the government not to abandon the promises it made to the people of Botswana.Speaking at a kgotla meeting in Maun, Saleshando cautioned that it would be dangerous for the government to proceed with the establishment of a Constitutional Court without adequately educating the public.He said the proposed court has already been rejected by dikgosi, non-governmental organisations and other stakeholders.Saleshando told the meeting that even within Parliament, the proposal lacked support, noting that when the President addressed the House for nearly two hours on the matter, none of his party members rose to back him.He further stated that the Maun Council has formally rejected the Constitutional Court proposal.He said the President had promised, during his inauguration, that a constitutional review would be conducted within six months, a commitment that has yet to be fulfilled.Saleshando also accused the ruling party of inconsistency, stating that while the UDC previously opposed a piecemeal approach to constitutional reforms while in opposition, it is now pursuing the very approach it once criticised.He also raised concern over the financial implications of the proposed referendum, saying the government has already spent significant resources (more than P200,000) trying to convince the public about the Constitutional Court while the country faces pressing challenges.Saleshando argued that calls for the government to prioritise service delivery are justified, stating that if Batswana were asked to choose between the Constitutional Court and access to medicines, they would choose medicines.He also pointed out that six months have passed since a national health emergency was declared, yet no tangible progress has been made.He said schools continue to face shortages of teachers and equipment, while the government remains focused on establishing the Constitutional Court.Saleshando warned that if the President does not withdraw the Constitutional Court proposal, he will mobilise Batswana to vote No when the referendum is held.

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NO TO CONCOURT