Tshireletso speaks on women in politics, human rights
Outgoing Mahalapye East legislator Botlogile Tshireletso, whose career in politics spanned over 40 years has said her greatest regret is bowing out of the public stage having failed to convince her colleagues to change the electoral system to accommodate for more female representation in parliament.
Tshireletso will retire at the end of her current term next year, worsening Botswana’s standing in women representation in the National Assembly. The latest Global Gender Gap Index 2017 released towards the end of 2017 ranked Botswana 122nd out of 144 countries, owing to its overly male dominated parliament. Botswana currently has only five female MPs in a 63 seat parliament.
Three of the current female legislators will be not returning to parliament in 2019. Joining Tshireletso in retirement is veteran lawmaker, Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi while specially elected legislator Dr Unity Dow, will not be contesting as well. “Prior to 2009, I had tabled a motion before parliament requesting for the introduction of First-Past-The-Post which is mixed with Proportional Representation. The system will enable parliament to have elected legislators as well as those who are part of the list, therefore allowing those elected through the list to give women a higher ratio in representation,” Tshireletso told WeekendPost this week.
“In other countries such as Tanzania and Uganda they also have what they call reserved seats for women. We must also consider this to improve women representation because women are many, and even play crucial roles in party activities.” Tshireletso says, although there is no incentive for women to serve in parliament, women should avail themselves to contest leadership positions. “I cannot take my daughter to come and replace me. Women should bring themselves forth and show passion and willingness to serve,” she said.
Tshireletso had also tried to trigger constitutional amendment to increase the number of specially elected MPs from four to eight of which four seats would be reserved for women. The motion was opposed famously by then Specially Elected MP Botsalo Ntuane, who argued that increasing the number of special parliamentary seats may not be the best way to increase women's representation in Parliament.
Ntuane suggested that it would be better to change Botswana's electoral system to proportional representation than to add new Specially Elected seats in Parliament. He argued that the voters were not in favour of increasing the number of special MPs because they dilute the power of the elected MPs.
The motion was however adopted by parliament, but nothing more was done to implement the motion. In 2016, parliament increased the number of specially elected MPs to six MPs, electing two more MPs in a controversial fashion. Former legislator, Reggie Reatile and then 29 year old female, Bogolo Kenewendo were the beneficiaries for the created posts.
On abortion, homosexuality, intersex, and prostitution
Tshireletso has been a strong advocate of issues of abortion, homosexuality, intersex, and prostitution. Her views, especially regarding legalisation of abortion and prostitution have attracted criticism from some section of the society, especially religious organisations. Ahead of the 2014 elections, Evangelical Churches of Botswana (ECB) targeted Tshireletso and others politicians who supported abortion, homosexuality and prostitution. ECB encouraged its members not to vote for politicians who supported the aforementioned positions.
“We must legalize abortion so that we can have facilities that have doctors and other professionals to help individuals who need this kind of help. We may as well decrease the number of abortion cases because we will also have counsellors in the facilities who will be able to guide on the importance of having kids,” said Tshireletso.
“I am not saying people should not have babies. I am looking at the dire consequences of abortion cases that happen outside the realm of health professionals. Some end up infecting themselves while trying to abort, and it is government who eventually incurs the expenses for those affected.” As for sex workers, Tshireletso still urges government to put measures in place to help against the abuses, both physical and emotional that they (sex workers) are subjected to by their customers.
“As government we should not turn a blind eye to these things. These are our people, we are parents. We should engage them and see how we can help them,” she said. “Some of them have shared their experiences with me in confidence. They are being harassed even by police officers under the disguise of public nuisance offence.”
Tshireletso also cautioned government against failing to protect transgendered people through legal or policy framework. She said, more often than not, a mistake is made in a child’s early years if he is intersex resulting in one of genitalia being removed without allowing the child to grow first.
“They should be proper health facilities as well as the legal framework that support minority communities like those. We should not rush to make decisions because sometimes it takes up to puberty to recognise the real identity of the person. That is when we can make such decisions also with regard to what the person concerned indentifies themselves with which gender. People should be allowed to be what they think they are, not making decisions for them,” she noted.
On politics and party factions
The watershed moment for Tshireletso’s political career came in 1977, when the BDP introduced the party youth wing. Tshireletso, then a 24 year old young lady working in one of the village Co-operatives, was lured into a party meeting by then area MP Gaolese Koma who sold the idea of the youth league to the prospective young activist.
By the time delegates departed the youth wing’s inaugural congress, Tshireletso’s fate was sealed. In 1979 Tshireletso contested in the party primary election for a council seat and won. Subsequently she bagged the ward in the general elections. She would occupy that seat for the next 25 years. In 2003, Tshireletso tried her luck in for the parliamentary seat for the newly created Mahalapye East constituency and won. She won the resultant general elections.
In her career as a politician, Tshireletso remains one of the few who rose through the ranks without being offered favour perks in form of special nomination either to council or parliament. On all occasions, she had to battle it out with men, trouncing them in their trade. It was inevitable that Tshireletso, having been part and parcel of the BDP structures since 1978, got involved in the BDP factions. Though she played a limited active role in the factions, her bid for Women’s Wing Chairpersonship in 2001 saw her drifting towards the Barataphathi. That was a time when Barataphathi, led by Daniel Kwelagobe and Ponatshego Kedikilwe, controlled every structure of the ruling party.
“I was a member of the Big Five because of my association with Merafhe [Mompati], but when we went for the 2001 women’s wing elections; our team had two people, me and Tebelelo Seretse who wanted to contest the chairperson position. My team favoured Seretse ahead of me,” remembers Tshireletso.
“That was when I drifted towards Kwelagobe’s team because they did not have a candidate. Since then people started associating me with the Barataphathi faction, but I was not necessarily its member.” Tshireletso will retire from politics at the end of her term in 2019, after serving three consecutive terms as MP for Mahalapye East.
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Nigerians, Zimbabweans apply for Chema Chema Fund
Fronting activities, where locals are used as a front for foreign-owned businesses, have been a long-standing issue in Botswana. These activities not only undermine the government’s efforts to promote local businesses but also deprive Batswana of opportunities for economic empowerment, officials say. The Ministry of Trade and Industry has warned of heavy penalties for those involved in fronting activities especially in relation to the latest popular government initiative dubbed Chema Chema.
According to the Ministry, the Industrial Development Act of 2019 clearly outlines the consequences of engaging in fronting activities. The fines of up to P50,000 for first-time offenders and P20,000 plus a two-year jail term for repeat offenders send a strong message that the government is serious about cracking down on this illegal practice. These penalties are meant to deter individuals from participating in fronting activities and to protect the integrity of local industries.
“It is disheartening to hear reports of collaboration between foreigners and locals to exploit government initiatives such as the Chema Chema Fund. This fund, administered by CEDA and LEA, is meant to support informal traders and low-income earners in Botswana. However, when fronting activities come into play, the intended beneficiaries are sidelined, and the funds are misused for personal gain.” It has been discovered that foreign nationals predominantly of Zimbabwean and Nigerian origin use unsuspecting Batswana to attempt to access the Chema Chema Fund. It is understood that they approach these Batswana under the guise of drafting business plans for them or simply coming up with ‘bankable business ideas that qualify for Chema Chema.’
Observers say the Chema Chema Fund has the potential to uplift the lives of many Batswana who are struggling to make ends meet. They argue that it is crucial that these funds are used for their intended purpose and not siphoned off through illegal activities such as fronting. The Ministry says the warning it issued serves as a reminder to all stakeholders involved in the administration of these funds to ensure transparency and accountability in their disbursement.
One local commentator said it is important to highlight the impact of fronting activities on the local economy and the livelihoods of Batswana. He said by using locals as a front for foreign-owned businesses, opportunities for local entrepreneurs are stifled, and the economic empowerment of Batswana is hindered. The Ministry’s warning of heavy penalties is a call to action for all stakeholders to work together to eliminate fronting activities and promote a level playing field for local businesses.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Trade and Industry’s warning of heavy penalties for fronting activities is a necessary step to protect the integrity of local industries and promote economic empowerment for Batswana. “It is imperative that all stakeholders comply with regulations and work towards a transparent and accountable business environment. By upholding the law and cracking down on illegal activities, we can ensure a fair and prosperous future for all Batswana.”
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Merck Foundation and African First Ladies mark World Health Day 2024
Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany marks “World Health Day” 2024 together with Africa’s First Ladies who are also Ambassadors of MerckFoundation “More Than a Mother” Campaign through their Scholarship and Capacity Building Program. Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation emphasized, “At Merck Foundation, we mark World Health Day every single day of the year over the past 12 years, by building healthcare capacity and transforming patient care across Africa, Asia and beyond.
I am proud to share that Merck Foundation has provided over 1740 scholarships to aspiring young doctors from 52 countries, in 44 critical and underserved medical specialties such as Oncology, Diabetes, Preventative Cardiovascular Medicine, Endocrinology, Sexual and Reproductive Medicine, Acute Medicine, Respiratory Medicine, Embryology & Fertility specialty, Gastroenterology, Dermatology, Psychiatry, Emergency and Resuscitation Medicine, Critical Care, Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Neonatal Medicine, Advanced Surgical Practice, Pain Management, General Surgery, Clinical Microbiology and infectious diseases, Internal Medicine, Trauma & Orthopedics, Neurosurgery, Neurology, Cardiology, Stroke Medicine, Care of the Older Person, Family Medicine, Pediatrics and Child Health, Obesity & Weight Management, Women’s Health, Biotechnology in ART and many more”.
As per the available data, Africa has only 34.6% of the required doctors, nurses, and midwives. It is projected that by 2030, Africa would need additional 6.1 million doctors, nurses, and midwives*. “For Example, before the start of the Merck Foundation programs in 2012; there was not a single Oncologist, Fertility or Reproductive care specialists, Diabetologist, Respiratory or ICU specialist in many countries such as The Gambia, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Central African Republic, Guinea, Burundi, Niger, Chad, Ethiopia, Namibia among others. We are certainly creating historic legacy in Africa, and also beyond. Together with our partners like Africa’s First Ladies, Ministries of Health, Gender, Education and Communication, we are impacting the lives of people in the most disadvantaged communities in Africa and beyond.”, added Senator Dr. Kelej. Merck Foundation works closely with their Ambassadors, the African First Ladies and local partners such as; Ministries of Health, Education, Information & Communication, Gender, Academia, Research Institutions, Media and Art in building healthcare capacity and addressing health, social & economic challenges in developing countries and under-served communities. “I strongly believe that training healthcare providers and building professional healthcare capacity is the right strategy to improve access to equitable and quality at health care in Africa.
Therefore, I am happy to announce the Call for Applications for 2024 Scholarships for young doctors with special focus on female doctors for our online one-year diploma and two year master degree in 44 critical and underserved medical specialties, which includes both Online Diploma programs and On-Site Fellowship and clinical training programs. The applications are invited through the Office of our Ambassadors and long-term partners, The First Ladies of Africa and Ministry of Health of each country.” shared Dr . Kelej. “Our aim is to improve the overall health and wellbeing of people by building healthcare capacity across Africa, Asia and other developing countries. We are strongly committed to transforming patientcare landscape through our scholarships program”, concluded Senator Kelej.
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Interpol fugitive escapes from Botswana
John Isaak Ndovi, a Tanzanian national embroiled in controversy and pursued under a red notice by the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), has mysteriously vanished, bypassing a scheduled bail hearing at the Extension 2 Magistrate Court in Gaborone. Previously apprehended by Botswana law enforcement at the Tlokweng border post several months earlier, his escape has ignited serious concerns.
Accused of pilfering assets worth in excess of P1 million, an amount translating to roughly 30,000 Omani Riyals, Ndovi has become a figure of paramount interest, especially to the authorities in the Sultanate of Oman, nestled in the far reaches of Asia.
The unsettling news of his disappearance surfaced following his failure to present himself at the Extension 2 Magistrate Court the preceding week. Speculation abounds that Ndovi may have sought refuge in South Africa in a bid to elude capture, prompting a widespread mobilization of law enforcement agencies to ascertain his current location.
In an official communiqué, Detective Senior Assistant Police Commissioner Selebatso Mokgosi of Interpol Gaborone disclosed Ndovi’s apprehension last September at the Tlokweng border, a capture made possible through the vigilant issuance of the Interpol red notice.
At 36, Ndovi is implicated in a case of alleged home invasion in Oman. Despite the non-existence of an extradition treaty between Botswana and Oman, Nomsa Moatswi, the Director of the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP), emphasized that the lack of formal extradition agreements does not hinder her office’s ability to entertain extradition requests. She highlighted the adoption of international cooperation norms, advocating for collaboration through the lenses of international comity and reciprocity.
Moatswi disclosed the intensified effort by law enforcement to locate Ndovi following his no-show in court, and pointed to Botswana’s track record of extraditing two international fugitives from France and Zimbabwe in the previous year as evidence of the country’s relentless pursuit of legal integrity.
When probed about the potential implications of Ndovi’s case on Botswana’s forthcoming evaluation by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), Moatswi reserved her speculations. She acknowledged the criticality of steering clear of blacklisting, suggesting that this singular case is unlikely to feature prominently in the FATF’s assessment criteria.