BDP CC To Consider Gaborone Region Proposals

Monkagedi Gaothobogwe | Monday December 7, 2015 16:59

 

Among the four proposals put to the BDP leadership is the request not to hold primary elections (Bulela Ditswe) for all five parliamentary seats in Gaborone. The proposal is that branches be empowered to bring forth a single consensus candidate to be endorsed by the central committee.

Gaborone region has also suggested that there should be no election for candidates intending to stand for council seats.

The region’s special congress also resolved to table before the 2016 National Council a motion that seeks to lobby Parliament to review the Constitution of Botswana so as to increase the number of constituencies elected through the first past the post from 57 to 80. The proposal is to have a hybrid system in place, with 40 seats being distributed through a Proportional Representation modality and the rest through direct election of first past the post.

The region would also table before the national council of 2016 the motion to increase specially nominated councillors to allow the consideration of more women, youth, disadvantaged groups and people with disabilities.

They have also resolved to table a motion asking the party leadership to commission a team to develop the best model for political party funding most relevant to Botswana for consideration and resolution at next year’s national council.

The Gaborone region would also table a motion that would see the party adopting a resolution to introduce a law on Citizen Economic Empowerment. The special congress believes that a clear law that put the citizen first is long overdue.

Another motion for the National Council seeks to have government taking action to regulate the rates of rental in Botswana to protect consumers from a market, which is fast getting unaffordable for the middle class and the poor.

The Gaborone region’s special congress also agreed to table before the National Council that the minister of Finance reviews the state of the economy with a view to increasing salaries and wages of civil servants. The region also wants the government adopts the incentive of a 13th cheque for civil servants as part of the Economic Stimulus Programme.