Rev Prince Dibeela, PhD – Candidate MP for Gaborone Bonnington North
5th August 2024
We just saw Kabo Morwaeng make a statement withdrawing a despicable Bill relating to the President’s Pensions and Retirement Benefits, that was clearly meant to siphon state coffers to enrich President Mokgweetsi Eric Masisi and his family.
They have backed off not because they are convinced that what they wanted to do is wrong, but because the heat was too much. The first lesson here is that the BDP regime cannot be trusted with state power. That they unashamedly tried to bring such a bill before parliament is indicative of the fact that they are willing to go to all lengths to enrich themselves at the expense of the people.
The bill which was set to be presented by Morwaeng stated that children of presidents should benefit from presidents’ pensions and retirement benefits.
“The object of the bill is to amend Section 2 of the Presidents (Pensions and Retirements Benefits) by inserting the definition of dependent child in the section,” reads the bill. The bill said spouses of former presidents should also benefit from the president’s pensions and retirement benefits post-presidency.
It stipulated that if the former president passes on their children and partners should continue receiving the welfare from the retirement benefits.
“Section 3 of the Act was being amended to specify the benefits of the spouse of a person who has held the Office of the President. Section 4 of the Act such that a dependent child of a person who has held the Office of the President is able to benefit in their own right, and not just when the surviving spouse dies,” read the bill.
I believe this exploitation of the state fiscus during a time of economic hardship is inexcusable and inhumane. It shows a lack of empathy for the most disadvantaged members of our society who face enormous economic hardship and still struggling from the economic shutdown caused by COVID-19.
What Morwaeng just did on television is not, as he says a demonstration of a listening government, rather it is a tactical retreat. They haven’t abandoned the idea, on moral grounds, that the bill is evil and is about creating opulence for Masisi on the back and sweat of the majority of Batswana who are generally impoverished.
This tactical move is cowardly and a recognition that Batswana are reaching pitching point and will no longer tolerate the economic and political abuse meted against them by the BDP. However, we must all be warned that should the BDP win elections these bills and much more will be brought through parliament again. Masisi is determined to use his lackey who is Kabo Morwaeng to self-enrich as much as possible during his Presidency.
The second lesson from this pitiable show is that the BDP cabal is not as invincible as they often pretend. With appropriate pressure they cow down and retreat. Batswana should therefore not back-down and be fooled into thinking that they have a compassionate and listening government.
This is an opportune moment to put more pressure and demand electoral reforms. The refusal of the BDP to have the polling stations as counting venues is suspect and indicates that they use the transfer of the ballots from one place to another to cheat.
There is no other convincing reason other than that it would deny them the opportunity to engage in nefarious activity. They use indelible ink for the BDP primary elections but refuse to have it used for the general elections.
This is clearly a government that takes the citizens of this country for granted. I therefore call on Batswana to mount pressure on the BDP government in the couple of months left, and above all vote them out at the upcoming elections. The BDP can no longer be trusted with political power.
