- to campaign for a ‘NO’ vote during referendum
Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Dumelang Saleshando, has vowed to embark on a nationwide campaign to mobilise the public to reject, through a referendum the Constitutional Amendment Bill of 2025 which seeks to establish the Constitutional Court of Botswana.
Saleshando said this during a Kgotla meeting addressed by the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Nelson Ramaotwana which formed part of the ongoing nationwide consultations on the proposed introduction of the new court.
He guaranteed that should the ruling government use its parliamentary majority to pass the bill, he will then mobilise the public to vote against it when the referendum is held.
This as the Minister for State President, Defence and Security, Moeti Mohwasa has indicated that if the bill is passed through a two thirds majority vote in Parliament, it would then be put to the public for an approval vote through a referendum.
Saleshando said as a member of parliament and leader of opposition it is his duty to ensure that he represents the interests of Batswana, and it is clear with regards to the proposed court that majority do not welcome its hasty establishment.
He advised Ramaotwana to request President Duma Boko to halt the process of introducing the court, and instead prioritise pressing national issues such as healthcare, poor road infrastructure and education. Saleshando warned that should his advised be ignored, he will be left with no option but to launch a campaign calling for Batswana to reject the enactment of said court.
“If we do not do that, we will make our leaders get used to doing what pleases them ignoring the interest of the public,” said Saleshando further advising government to listen to the majority of Batswana.
He added that besides the general public views, institutions including the House of Chiefs, Non-Governmental Organisations and the North West District Council have also rejected the establishment of the constitutional court.
Earlier on, Maun elder, Tshematse Monwela complained that government is enforcing the proposed court on the public dismissing the ongoing Kgotla meetings.
“The fact of the matter is that we are just being told but the decisions have already been made.”
These where the views of many other residents who, while acknowledging the importance of a constitutional court complained about the hasty process that ignores sufficient consultation and pressing national issues.
When addressing Dikgosi recently, Boko admitted to the omission that before the Constitutional Amendment Bill of 2025 was gazetted and tabled before Parliament, there should have been sufficient prior consultation and asked for pardon from them.
The Bill was presented by Minister Mohwasa in Parliament last December, and passed through a third reading, and will now require a two thirds majority vote in the National Assembly within the first three months of this year to become law. If it passed through a two thirds majority vote it would then be put to the public for an approval vote through a referendum.
