Kavimba — A white paper on constitution review is expected to be presented to Parliament during the November sitting.
This follows the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into The Review of Constitution exercise last year where a subsequent report was submitted to the President in September 2022.
Addressing Chobe residents at a Kgotla meeting in Kavimba November 1, Dr Masisi said the review was in response to concerns from Batswana who expressed that the constitution was outdated.
He acknowledged that government was aware of the fact that certain tribes were not recognised in the constitution hence noted that the report had addressed these reservations. The President said upon receiving the report from the commission, he together with his cabinet interrogated it to make sure that it would be aligned to Botswana's values and principles.
Moreover, he said Botswana was anchored on democracy and respect of rule of law, which he said was admired by the world.
He implored Batswana to respect one another and desist from conflict in order to continue being an epitome of democracy.
Dr Masisi indicated that the use of national Identity Cards as a cross border travel document between Botswana and Namibia should be celebrated in Chobe as they shared a border post with Namibia.
He said use of National Identity cards was part of SADC missions to enhance regional integration drive and economic growth through migration.
Kgosi Liswaani Sinvula III had earlier applauded the use of National Identity cards for cross border movement as it had enabled those without passports to visit their relatives in Namibia. He said the initiative had fostered social cohesion between the two countries as they shared a history and cultural bonds.
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Kgosi Sinvula III requested government to extend operating hours for the Chobe National Park so as to cultivate business in the district and attract investors to build shopping malls in the Chobe Enclave.
He said the closure of the park's gate disadvantaged residents in times of emergencies such as illnesses because one could not transport a patient to the hospital in Kasane in a private car.
MP for Chobe, and also Minister of Justice , Mr Machana Shamukuni also welcomed the use of ID cards as having eased up movements between the two countries. He said in the past, many were restricted to travel accross the border because they could not afford passports.
Mr Shamukuni told residents that he had submitted a request to the Ministers of Labour and Home Affairs as well as Foreign Affairs to consider setting up a satellite border post at Satau or Parakarungu so that residents did not travel a long distance to Ngoma border post.
For her part, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Environment and Tourism Ms Grace Muzila said the closure of Chobe National Park was guided by regulations following poaching activities that occurred in the park at night. This, she said, forced govermment to enforce stringent measures which included monitoring of park hours adding that since government's interventions, the criminal activities had subsided.
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