Botswana awaits ruling over presidential immunity

10 September, 2009 in Botswana

source: Daily Nation
By WENE OWINO, NATION CorrespondentPosted Thursday, September 10 2009 at 09:23

GABORONE, Thursday – Can the hallowed presidential immunity from court action guaranteed by many national constitutions be waived in party affairs?

Is a sitting head of state performing a private or official function when presiding over the affairs of the political party he leads or is the answer to the question ‘none of the above’.

These are the two major questions facing the respected Botswana judiciary after a landmark High Court case filed against President Ian Khama by ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) secretary general Mr Gomolemo Motswaledi.

Mr Motswaledi went to court after he was suspended by President Khama who recalled him as the BDP parliamentary candidate for Gaborone Central in general elections to be held next month. He cited President Khama, the BDP and the Gaborone Central BDP branch as [continue reading]

Botswana literacy rate at 83%

10 September, 2009 in Botswana

source: BOPA
10 September, 2009

GABORONE – Batswana should be proud and celebrate their success in surpassing the 50 per cent literacy target set by the United Nations.

Botswanas literacy rate has shot up to 83 per cent, three years before the UN Literacy Decade (2003-2012) ends.

Although the development is a cause for celebration, it should be coupled with total eradication of illiteracy, which all UN member states should not loose sight of.

Therefore, the obligation of increasing literacy and empowering citizens remains mostly the task of governments.

Speaking during the commemoration of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) International Literacy Day on Tuesday, the Assistant Minister of Education and Skills Development, Mr Kavis Kario acknowledged that illiteracy was a major challenge worldwide, both in developing and third world countries including Botswana.

Minister Kario noted that each year, UNESCO reminded the [continue reading]

All eligible Batswana must vote on October 16

10 September, 2009 in Botswana

source: The Botswana Gazette
Written by JFG
Tuesday, 08 September 2009 07:25

Pursuant to a writ of elections issued by President Ian Khama, Batswana will return to the polls for the country’s 10th national elections on October 16, 2009. While not an unusual exercise in Botswana, this will be a significant occurrence in an era in which the country is faced with numerous challenges.

Whereas many people are unfaltering about how they are going to vote, there is a significant number of eligible voters who are still undecided. This cluster of potential voters has the probable effect of deciding a winner.

The media is going to play a vital role in that it is an important means, albeit not the only means, of reaching potential voters. Minister of Communications, Science and Technology Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi has affirmed to Parliament that as part of general elections coverage, leaders of political parties would each be allocated one hour on Botswana Television (Btv) to sell their parties.
An appeal has to be made to government to lift a media curfew which has been imposed on the pretext that a [continue reading]

African Copper restarts Botswana copper mine

10 September, 2009 in Africa

source: Mining Weekly

JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Aim-listed African Copper has restarted operations at the Mowana mine in Botswana, which was placed on care-and-maintenance in early 2009.

The operational team on site had mobilised a new mining contractor and had recommissioned the concentrator with the assistance of a team of specialist metallurgical and engineering personnel from African Copper’s main shareholder, Zambia Copper Investments.

African Copper reported that teething problems had been encountered during the recommissioning of the concentrator as it came out of a period of extended care-and-maintenance.

The mine was placed on care-and-maintenance in January pending the [continue reading]

Botswana flops by 10 positions in competitiveness

10 September, 2009 in Botswana, Business

source: Mmegi
WANETSHA MOSINYI
Staff Writer

Botswana has dropped by a staggering 10 places down the rankings of the 2009/2010 Global Competitiveness Report after fairing badly in macroeconomic stability due to the impact of the global recession which has eroded government revenue.

According to the World Economic Forum-sponsored report, Botswana is now ranked 66 out of 134 countries, down from 56th position it attained last year.

The country’s macroeconomic stability index fell from 22 last year to 41 this year, making it the worst drop among the 12 pillars used to measure a country’s competitiveness performance against its peers globally.

“That is a great fall because Government saw its revenues depleted as the global downturn affected the diamond industry to [continue reading]

WDC chairman petitions council

10 September, 2009 in Botswana

source: Mmegi
ONALENNA MODIKWA
Staff Writer

SELEBI-PHIKWE: The Chairman of Ikageleng Ward Development Committee, Lekang Mukokomani, has called on the Selebi-Phikwe Town Council to attend to defective streetlights promptly because they contribute to rising crime.

In a petition, Mukokomani said efforts by his WDC to address the issue of crime in Ikageleng through crime prevention workshops it ran in collaboration with the police and the council had failed because the council did not co-operate.

“Perhaps this time around, the council should organise similar workshops in conjunction with relevant stakeholders,” he said. “It must be understood that WDCs are often constrained in discharging their [continue reading]

South Africa: MTN deal may see $6bn inflow

10 September, 2009 in South Africa, Telekoms & Providers

source: Fin24
2009/09/09 04:51:00 PM

Johannesburg – An MTN/Bharti deal would see net inflow to South Africa of around $4bn-$6bn, said Peter Attard Montalto, emerging markets economist at Nomura International, on Wednesday.

Reports out on the wires said that the two communications groups had reached a $24bn preliminary agreement to buy each other’s shares.

Indian mobile-phone company Bharti Airtel and South Africa’s MTN have reached a preliminary agreement for their planned $24bn share and cash swap, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday.

Bharti sweetened its bid to buy 49% of MTN by increasing the cash portion of [continue reading]

Maun Prison escapes worry residents

10 September, 2009 in Botswana

source: Mmegi
STATES MODIBATI
Correspondent

MAUN: Despite tight security at Maun State Prison frequent escapes have brought the government rehabilitation centre under sharp criticism from concerned residents.

The escape of four Zimbabwean suspects on 29 August is the latest case in point.
But much to the relief of everyone, the four fugitives were recaptured on Friday and appeared in the Maun Magistrate’s Court on Monday for mention on robbery charges.

Sources within Maun Prison reveal that the fugitives escaped through the roof of the holding cell and proceeded to cut the double fence with pliers at around 8.30pm and [continue reading]

Southern Africa: Zimbabwe Must Abide By SADC Decisions

10 September, 2009 in SADC, Zimbabwe

source: allAfrica
Inter Press Service (Johannesburg)
Stanley Kwenda
9 September 2009

Kinshasa — Condemning Zimbabwe’s withdrawal from a regional tribunal which ruled its state-orchestrated land seizures illegal, civil society groups have said the country should abide by decisions of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) or pull out of the regional body entirely.

A SADC heads of state meeting in the Democratic Republic of Congo referred a SADC Tribunal’s ruling in favour of farmers whose land had been seized to a special summit planned for Maputo in two weeks time, a parallel summit of groups belonging to the Southern African People’s Solidarity Network (SAPSN) called for firm action.

“The SADC Tribunal is now an integral part of the SADC Treaty. Any attempt to pull out of the Tribunal by the government of Zimbabwe would amount to [continue reading]

Two more judges for the High Court

10 September, 2009 in Botswana

source: Mmegi
STAFF WRITER

The government is employing two more judges to deal with the backlog of cases, Registrar and Master of the High Court, Godfrey Nthomiwa, said yesterday.

He stated that the judges are expected to start work as soon as possible at the Lobatse High Court. Recently, acting High Court judges Terrence Rannowane and Gabriel Rwelengera were confirmed, but this has not reduced the work load of the members of the bench.

Previously, President Ian Khama rejected the appointment of Rwelengera and other candidates in defiance of recommendations by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC). He ordered the commission to re-advertise the [continue reading]

BNF youth boycott new P10 notes

10 September, 2009 in Botswana

source: The Botswana Gazette
Written by JFG
Tuesday, 08 September 2009 07:58

They say they are campaign posters
Why were they introduced on eve of elections?

The Botswana National Front (BNF) Youth league says it has boycotted the new P10 notes because they are campaign posters for President Lt Gen Ian Khama and his party, the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP).

The BNFYL met this past weekend and resolved that the introduction of the new notes was not done in the best interest of the country but rather to further the BDP campaign. According to the President of the BNFYL, Motsamai Motsamai, they question the motive behind launching the new notes just before the general elections and, “at a time when Khama is still to be elected president.” He said the move by Bank of Botswana was erroneous and, “is not fair to other political parties.”
Motsamai said Khama has power to do [continue reading]

Vigilance cautioned as BoB recovers two defective notes

10 September, 2009 in Botswana, Business

source: Mmegi
BAME PIET
Staff Writer

The Bank of Botswana has recovered two P100 defective notes since it made an announcement last week that there are defective notes in circulation.

BoB Public Relations Officer, Chepete Chepete, told Mmegi yesterday that they recovered the notes in Gaborone but there could be others throughout the country.

Chepete said their investigations are continuing on how the defective bills could have spread.

However, he believes the problem is only a minor one because circulation of the new bills cannot have gone very far. He said members of the public should accept the new P100 notes as legal tender but to [continue reading]

`Police say they will kill me like Kalafatis` – robbery suspect

10 September, 2009 in Africa

source: The Botswana Gazette
Written by JFG
Tuesday, 08 September 2009 00:00

He is armed and dangerous – Police
Family lives in fear
Uncle alleges he was suffocated, tortured

A suspect dubbed ‘one of the most wanted’ by the police has claimed that his confrontation with security agents will result in his death. He says they have told him in no uncertain terms that they will “exterminate” him. Botsi Kefetile, 22, called The Gazette offices last Monday claiming that his life was in danger because security agents were threatening to end his life.

Information passed on to this newspaper is that Kefetile is wanted by [continue reading]

Africa: `Have Your Own Policies, as Long as They`re Like Ours`

10 September, 2009 in Africa

source: allAfrica
Inter Press Service (Johannesburg)
Marina Penderis
9 September 2009

Johannesburg — The controversial conditionalities attached to World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) loans over the past 20 years may, from the World Bank’s point of view, no longer be necessary as African countries are of their own accord imposing similar policy restrictions on themselves.

Speaking yesterday in Johannesburg, South Africa, World Bank chief economist for the Africa region, Shantayanan Devarajan, said over the past 10 years there has been a shift away from imposing conditions in return for loans.

Countries can now present their own macro-economic policy suggestions when applying for funding from the World Bank, he told an audience at the South African Institute of International Affairs, attached to [continue reading]