12 Feb 2018

Leader of Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), Advocate Duma Boko says his party is intending to create about 100 000 jobs within 12 months of being voted into power in 2019.

He was speaking during a UDC political rally held in Jwaneng on Sunday.

He said the UDC was on a mission of deliverance and was committed to creating jobs, and not temporary measures such as the Ipelegeng programme.

Advocate Boko also said Batswana should be encouraged to nurture their talent because they were gifted academically.

He said if enhanced and supported, such talent could sustain their livelihoods.

He said in other countries different talents were nurtured at an early age and that people got rich from such.

He further said if the UDC was voted into power in the upcoming 2019 general election, they would change a lot of things to improve the lives of Batswana.

He said even crime rates would decline because unemployment was somehow to blame for the rise in crime.

He said the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) government has impoverished Batswana since it came to power 52 years ago.

He said the poverty eradication exercise that the government claims to be working on was a non starter because poverty was intentionally inflicted on Batswana.

He said Batswana were also to blame because they were the ones who kept the BDP in power.   

For his part, Botswana National Front (BNF) deputy leader, Reverend Prince Dibeela said the Jwaneng/Mabutsane constituency was a UDC stronghold and urged constituents not to give the BDP a chance in 2019.

He said the UDC intended to equitably distribute the country’s resources and not centralise operations like the BDP was doing.

He said they would give councils powers and responsibilities to conduct their own affairs and generate their own funds.

Furthermore, Reverend Dibeela said once they assumed office, they would change the country’s constitution because it was outdated.

He said they would first go through a consultative process to get the views of Batswana on different issues.

Botswana Congress Party (BCP) publicity secretary, Mr Dithapelo Koorapetse said the UDC was committed to improving the lives of Batswana, including government employees and pensioners.

He said the pension grant should be increased to at least P1 000 while the lowest paid government employee should earn at least P3 000.

He said the cost of living was too high yet the BDP-led government had no intentions of cushioning Batswana against the high costs.

He said it has resulted in people drowning in debt and living in poverty.

He said the government’s reasoning that there weere no funds to increase wages did not hold water because money was being wasted on unfinished projects. ENDS