Bame Piet
8 April 2008
Gaborone — Parliament on Friday adopted a motion tabled by Boteti North Member of Parliament (MP) Slumber Tsogwane requesting government to consider reviewing the Remote Area Development Programme (RADP) to enhance the RADP arable agricultural activities, which currently compare unfavourably with livestock farming.
After weeks of debate, the motion was unanimously adopted. However, before the adoption, Local Government Minister Margaret Nasha accused opposition MPs of trying to kill the motion at the initial stage, saying it contradicted their claims that "they speak for the poor".
She cited MP for Ngwaketse South Omphitlhetse Maswabi, saying he tried to block the motion by calling for a vote on it before other MPs could make comments. She said the opposition MPs did not make valuable contributions to the motion. Nasha said that her ministry had always fought for Basarwa to have ownership of land like other ethnic groups in Botswana and that was why government relocated them from the Central Kgalgadi Game Reserve (CKGR).
She said that the National Parks Act does not allow any person to own land inside the reserve. She said that it is untrue that Basarwa are denied the right to hunt. Nasha conceded that there is need to improve the lives of Basarwa staying on the outskirts of major villages and is hopeful that the new policy will address issues such as supplying them with water and other social needs.
She explained that children from Masope settlement who attend school in Motokwe village had hostels built for them so they can attend school conveniently. She said that the Kweneng District Council (KDC) built the hostels but there was no law forcing them (to reside there). This was in response to comments made by MP for Letlhakeng West Filbert Nagafela who complained that the children were regarded as Remote Area Dwellers (RADs) whilst their parents were left out.
On suggestions that government must assist in finding markets for Basarwa products, Nasha said that government is trying hard to do so but some civil servants are frustrating their efforts by buying from big shops far away from where Basarwa stay.
Responding to the comments, Tsogwane said that the initial Basarwa Development Programme had bad implications since beneficiaries were non-Basarwa. He added that requirements to own farms in some districts are hindering Basarwa because in many instances they do not qualify. He advised Nasha to consult with organisations such as the First People of Kgalagadi, and Kudu Development Trust. He said that he doubted the organisation's commitment to seeing the lives of Basarwa improved.
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