16 Jun 2013

Democrats in the North West region have commended President Lt Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama for maintaining a democratic government.

They said during the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) regional congress that the two awards he received recently were a sign of his excellent leadership. Chairperson of North West region, Mr John Wellio said President Khama had placed the country on top of a hill for the world to see good governance.

The President Khama was recently graded the best performing leader on the African continent, together with the Prime Minister of Mauritius, Dr Navin Ramgoolam. The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International also awarded him the prestigious Paul Harris Fellow Award as a token of appreciation for the way his life exemplified the humanitarian and educational objectives of this country and Rotary worldwide.

Mr Wellio described him as a star of the nation and commended him for the role he played in maintaining the best standard of governance. He said he had maintained peace and stability in the country, noting that he also displayed generosity, compassion and care towards the less priviledged people in the society.

In addition, he said the President had vowed that during his tenure, he would restore people’s dignity and uplift the livelihoods of the needy. “We should salute him for taking the country to a higher level through good governance and thus support his endeavours as democrats”, he said.

Mr Wellio also urged fellow democrats to work as a team as they prepare for the national congress billed for July 4-7 in Maun. He said they should revive the party structures and ensure they function effectively. He also encouraged them to come up with ways to generate income for the party, saying as a strong and stable party, they should not be seen running around asking for contributions.

He added that they should understand that they were the eyes of government, hence they should serve communities diligently with the little resources they had. The chairperson also urged the gathering to represent the interest of the community, noting that they should address issues of concern among their communities urgently.

For his part, the MP for Maun East Mr Frank Ramsden urged party members to recognise the role played by party elders. He said at times the party veterans were left behind and yet they were the ones who built the party. “We should be proud of those people and take them on board for a job well done and also follow in their steps”, he said.

Mr Ramsden also urged democrats to support each other as they approached the 2014 election noting that even those who would be defeated in Bulela Ditswe should stand with the winners. ENDS