20 Oct 2024

Three Okavango West Parliamentary candidates have vowed to address issues of poverty, poor academic results and human wildlife conflict if elected to office.

The candidates made the remarks during Radio Botswana Live Debates held at Shakawe Senior Secondary School on Thursday.

Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) candidate, Mr Sekwaya Pikinini said he would focus more on improving agricultural sector to increase the economic status of the people of Okavango West.

Mr Pikinini said Okavango West had a high population of cattle hence agriculture value chain development such as food processing should be explored to create employment.

He said BDP led government had put in place a vegetable ban which horticulture farmers should use to their advantage to benefit economically.

Mr Pikinini blamed Okavango West’s lack of development on the parliamentary leadership since the constituency has been under opposition party control.

He said other area of his focus would be arts and culture development since Okavango West was rich in that aspect as well as women and youth empowerment and manufacturing and value chain development.

Regarding human-wildlife conflict, Mr Pikinini said he would ascertain that boreholes were drilled for watering elephants to curb conflict between human and wildlife.

He also said farmers should electrify their farms and make use of BDP government programmes that assisted farmers with electrifying of farms such as Temo Letlotlo.

Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) candidate Mr Tshenolo Kandoda said statics showed that Okavango West was among the poorest constituencies.

Mr Kandoda therefore said BPF if elected would address the predicament of poverty in the district.

He said BPF would come up with a financial review policy which would ensure the country’s economy was well distributed and prevention of misuse of the countries’ revenue as was the case with the current leadership.

Mr Kandoda said Okavango West constituency was rich in natural resources since it had two World Heritage Sites of Tsodilo Hills and Okavango Delta.

He therefore said BPF would ensure that tourism benefited the Okavango West constituency more since it contributed immensely to the economy of the country.

Mr Kandoda said his party would ensure establishment of Botswana Tourism Organisation offices in the constituency as a step to realise its promise.

He also said his party would address the issue of human-wildlife conflict which was rife in the constituency.

Mr Kandoda said his party if elected would improve health services in the country and review the constitution to introduce direct presidential elections.

Botswana Congress Party (BCP) candidate, Mr Kenny Kapinga said Okavango West constituency was underdeveloped since it had poor road infrastructure, poor water supply and limited electricity distribution, poor residential and school infrastructures.

Mr Kapinga said that most Okavango West people depended on social welfare services and Ipelegeng program as a main form of employment.

 He said that there was high rate of human-wildlife conflict as wild animals put people’s lives in danger and damaged properties therefore said his party would address the catastrophe.

Mr Kapinga said as a former member of Parliament for the then Okavango constituency he had already made effort in addressing poor academic results in the area.

He therefore said if re-elected he would continue his advocacy for better education which would ensure that every homestead produced a graduate by the year 2029.

Mr Kapinga said if the BCP was elected to rule the country it would create permanent jobs to improve the lives of the people of Okavango.

He said his party would also ensure re-construction of Sehithwa- Mohembo road as well as construction of roads to the World Heritage site of Tsodilo which he said would bring economic benefits to the constituency by easing travel.

Mr Kapinga said he would also ensure mechanized farming which he said would improve yield. He said his party would also be committed to eliminate corruption. ENDS