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Botswana: State House is Govt Property - Tshireletso
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Mmegi/The Reporter (Gaborone)
20 November 2007
Posted to the web 20 November 2007
Chandapiwa Baputaki
Member of Parliament (MP) for Mahalapye West Botlogile Tshireletso has told opposition members to stop talking about the money being spent on the State House because they also enjoy the benefits of being MPs without being discriminated against.
"That house is not for President Festus Mogae but for the state. It is being built for incoming presidents, who will stay there and enjoy all the infrastructure," she said.
Responding to President Mogae's recent State of the Nation address in Parliament yesterday, she said that all MPs, regardless of their political parties, were not discriminated against. "We know that this is the type of campaign that is being used by the opposition parties but the leader of opposition is getting a lot of money that is equivalent to that of the assistant ministers, including the black Mercedes Benz - and no one is shouting at the top of their voices about that," she said.
Tshireletso further said that when the MPs go on trips they fly first class and no one is discriminated against on basis of political affiliation. She threw the house into bouts of laughter when she said that the MPs are even given the opportunities to go with their spouses to some events that are sponsored by government and their spouses would be catered for as well. "If they think that money is being wasted they should show that by demanding that they be treated like any other citizens, they must start taking economics lessons so that money that is spent on them should be spent on other people in need," she said.
On other issues, she lamented the fact that when they need salary advances they are told to see the President first. "What kind of Parliament is this?" she asked, adding that when she was a councillor the Minister of Local Government would not even know if she wanted an advance. "When does the President have time to see us for such small things when he is supposed to concern himself with matters that really need his attention. Is he a president of petty cash?" she said to the amusement of other members.
She however encouraged the Independence Electoral Commission (IEC) to look into mobile education to assist people in registering for election in large numbers. She stated that the mobile education has been used successfully in countries like Angola. "It is not that people do not want to register but are engaged most of the times," she said.
Tshireletso further said government should review the law so men who have now resorted to raping their spouses' children to get back at them be sent to life imprisonment. "It happened in Mochudi that a man raped his young step daughter to get at his girlfriend.
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This is embarrassing for the country and action should be taken against such barbaric acts," she said.
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| Copyright © 2007 Mmegi/The Reporter. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections -- or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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