07 Jul 2019

The  Umbrella for Democratic Change’s (UDC) campaign centres around 100 000 jobs in 12 months, decent jobs as well as minimum wage of P3 000 and P1 500 for old age pension.

The  UDC  leader, Advocate Duma Boko, stated this during launch of Gaborone Bonnington South prospective parliamentary candidate, Mr Ketlhalefile Motshegwa and six councillors on Saturday.

“Batswana have a choice to believe in decent jobs and lives, a choice to believe that does not exist, and a choice to want to make a research if the idea of 100 000 jobs is viable,” said Advocate Boko.

He said Batswana could only make the right choice by voting UDC into power.

He said minerals and  tourism industries had created wealth for the country, therefore part of the money could be used to give people decent lives and minimum wage.

He decried meagre salaries for the workers, Ipelegeng employees, pension for the elderly and the caretakers of the people living with disabilities.

Advocate Boko described Mr Motshegwa as a great leader with proven track record.

He said Mr Motshegwa knew the challenges regarding the workers and was ready to stand in for the country workers under UDC.

Moreover, Advocate Boko said the prospective parliamentary candidate was trusted through his knowledge of policy regarding workers and therefore was to be used to advise UDC once in power regarding workers issues.

Another speaker, UDC deputy leader, Mr Dumelang Saleshando said Botswana was a wealthy country, but it was sad to see citizens living in poverty.

Mr Saleshando said the 100 000 jobs that UDC aspird to create would be created from the minerals.

He promised that UDC government would absorb temporary teachers to be full time employees to improve the education system as well as make teacher-ratio manageable.

Another speaker, Mr Pono Moatlhodi said the UDC was a game changer for Botswana.

Mr Moatlhodi urged Batswana to change the landscape of Botswana politically, economically and otherwise.

He also condemned the standard of education in Botswana saying it had deteriorated.

“Back then, when Mater Spei College was in position one, it would be at 93 per cent and today when we talk of St Joseph’s College at position one, it is at 37 per cent, a real disgrace” he stated

He requested Batswana to make a difference for their country by voting UDC into power in October.

For his part, Mr Motshegwa thanked the leadership  for giving him an opportunity to contest under the UDC.

Mr Motshegwa said he was offering himself as a sacrifice to Batswana to have them experience greater things in life.

He said the main issues that were of great concern included, creation of sustainable jobs, living wages, adding that the health system was also failing.

He said the UDC would use minerals funds to improve the health services, saying they would balance the doctor/nurse/patient ratio and improve the quality health care system. ENDS