Some councillors in the North West District have decried what they claim to be government sabotage on the council stemming from the fact it is opposition led. This caught the district commissioner Thabang Waloka in the cross fire as head of government business in the district.
The councillors from the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) which leads the council made the accusations during the just ended full council meeting where they alleged that they were never consulted on the initial stages of the Maun East Smart City project, only to be invited to its launch this week.
Waloka allayed the councilors’ sabotage claims by either his office of government, adding this week’s event where councillors were invited formed part of the consultations process and not a launch to mark its commencement.
Waloka remined councillors that the project was highlighted in the District Development Committee (DDC) report which councillors were appraised of, but added they will continue to consult and involve them throughout its implementation process.
Leading the onslaught earlier on was NWDC chairman, Itumeleng Kelebetseng who decried that the recent development, which smacks of sabotage is becoming a norm that they find unacceptable.
He said in a similar smart city project in Kalahari, the Ghanzi District Council was adequately consulted about, adding that in the same way the NWDC political leadership could have also been prioritised on the Maun East Smart City project, but instead they were sidelined.
He noted that whilst the Office of the President has initially wanted to be included in the just ended full council agenda at the approval of council, they later backtracked.
Backing the councillors, Kelebetseng further complained that he was also overlooked in his capacity as chairman because the Office of the President has failed to give him a courtesy call regarding the project. He pointed out to Waloka that such behaviour is wrong pleading for proper consultations.
Councillor for Tsau–Semboyo–Makakung, Gaapale Makudunyane shared the same sentiments, complaining that councillors are often sidelined on consultations of critical development projects which are being implemented in the district. He expressed suspicion of political sabotage because majority of them are from the opposition party.
“When we complain that proper process is not being followed, they would then rush to social media and say we do not want developments in the district.”
Independent Councillor, Moetetsi Mogalakwe warned that their exclusion from consultations of key development projects could at the end hamper their success. “If due process is followed, we are always ready to support government’s initiatives.”
For his part, Matlapana/Shorobe Councilor, Kobamelo Baikgodisi of the UDC instead shifted the blame to some civil servants at the district level to be the ones who are intentionally undermining and sabotaging NWDC but not government at the top.
