05 Nov 2024

President Advocate Duma Boko will announce the six Specially Elected Members of Parliament (SEMPs)  nominees today.

The nomination process adheres to Section 4 of the Constitution, which grants the President the authority to nominate six candidates for election.

According to Section 4, after the President presents the names of the nominated individuals to the National Assembly, it will be open for other elected members to nomintate six candidates for election. The vote of every elected member shall be by secret ballot.

The announcement will take place during the meeting for the General Election of the Specially Elected Members, held in the main chamber of the National Assembly, as outlined in Section 5 (2) of the First Schedule of the Constitution.

A media release from the National Assembly indicates that this meeting will initiate the composition of the Parliament of Botswana, in accordance with Section 58.

This section allows the President, as per Section 58 (1), to participate in all proceedings of the National Assembly, including speaking and voting.

The SEMPs nomination is a key presidential initiative aimed at incorporating expertise into the legislative arm of government, thereby enhancing the quality of governance.

Botswana’s 13^th National Assembly consists of 61 members, including 58 men and  three women. The Southern Africa Development Community electoral observer mission has previously expressed concern over the low number of female candidates in Botswana’s political landscape. Ends