States Modibati
19 March 2008
President Festus Mogae has advised that the problem between the government and Kamanakao's call for the amendment of some sections of the constitution to allow the Bayei tribe to have a paramount chief can only be resolved through dialogue and compromise.
The President was responding to a question during a Kgotla meeting in Maun last week. According to Mogae "it takes two to tango" and the probable solution is through dialogue and compromise, he added, stating that according to the constitution all Batswana are equal.
He reminded his audience that Ngamiland, like any other area in the country, is not the only district with different tribes. He said he is a Motalaote from Central District where the Bangwato are the major tribe but they live together peacefully and harmoniously.
The questioner who claimed to originate from Kgalagadi said the President was retiring when the issue of Bayei's demand for the amendment of Section 77, 78, 79 and Survival International's campaign for the Basarwa to return to CKGR were not yet solved, adding that even in Kgalagadi the residents there want their own paramount chief. The President refuted the claims saying in Kgalagadi nobody raised the issue of paramount chief when he addressed Kgotla meetings there. He further said in Kgalagadi there are two chiefs who are members of Ntlo ya Dikgosi.
About the campaign waged by Steven Corry of Survival International he said Corry only emerged from obscurity and gained popularity through his campaigns that Basarwa should return to CKGR when the government wants them to stay outside the game reserve where there are developments and pointed out that nobody is allowed to hunt inside the CKGR.
Royal Lehuma pleaded with the President that foot and mouth in Ngamiland has caused hardships for the residents and some parents are unable to pay school fees. He requested the suspension of school fees.
Mogae informed the gathering that social workers were instructed to assess those who are unable to pay school fees due to the outbreak of the disease. He said there are about 137,000 children whose parents were unable to pay school fees countrywide and they were all admitted in schools.
Answering another question about rising inflation and the resultant high prices of commodities, especially petrol, he said the price of oil in the global market is going up so it is expensive to buy petrol.
He also said in the past it was cheap to buy electricity from South Africa but with the demand for more electricity, "we are going to expand the Morupule Colliery and when Mamabula mine is completely operational we are going to sell electricity to South Africa and Zimbabwe," he said.
Earlier when he addressed the large gathering that came to bid him farewell at the main Kgotla, Mogae thanked them for showing appreciation and confidence in his presidency.
He said "I tried where I could and I have accomplished what I did through your support and you supported me by voting BDP MPs which is the party I lead".
He reminded his audience that the country has a long way to go to achieve the objectives of 2016. He asserted that the government has made a lot of developments in the country. Mogae said when he travels abroad to international forums, he has been asked how Botswana was able to maintain democracy when some African countries are embroiled in civil strife and political upheavals.
He cautioned his listeners against starting veld fires especially as the winter season is approaching.
Welcoming the President at the Kgotla, the Batawana regent commended Mogae for retiring voluntarily and for introducing ARV for free and for increasing the number of members of Ntlo ya Dikgosi. She applauded the First Lady, Barbara Mogae for her environmental clean up campaigns.
Maun East MP, Frank Ramsden, who is also assistant Minister of Transport, said Ngamiland cattle are in a red zone because of foot and mouth and assured the President that his gifts of cattle will only be given to him after the eradication of the disease.
Amongst his numerous gifts, Mogae was given 31 cattle including one from Mathiba Moremi and a horse from former BDF commander Matshwenyego Fischer and over P20,000 from Batawana and business owners.
Maun West MP, Ronald Ridge said he asked the President if he really refused a donkey given to him elsewhere as a gift. The President says he was not told about it before it was returned to the owner. "I didn't donate a cow because I am a destitute," the MP said.
The President was accompanied by senior government officials, among them assistant minister, Ambrose Masalila.
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