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27 Oct 2009 20:37
Edition 481 23 - 30 October, 2009
Meet your representatives in Parliament These are the faces that will be representing the North West and Chobe regions in Parliament for the next five years. These men (from left to right) Taolo Habano (BAM Ngami), Tawana Moremi (BDP-Maun West), Gibson Nshimwe (BCP-Chobe), Bagalatia Arone (BCP-Okavango) and Frank Ramsden (BDP-Maun East) won their seats in the general elections held on Friday to become Members of Parliament and serve for the next 5 years. In snap interviews, Nshimwe said he was happy with the victory and promised to work with the entire Chobe community. He also said it is important that they make sure that NDP 10 is carried out. Tawana Moremi also said he was happy with the results, adding that he was taking Maun West's grievances to Parliament. He also noted that he will spend his first day in Parliament learning the Standing Orders. Habano said he was confident and prepared to join the 10 th parliament to represent the people of Ngami. He had entered politics 5 months before the 2004 general elections in which his party won 4 wards - I had a passion for politics and I did not give up. I started campaigning again immediately after losing against (Jacob) Nkate in 2004 until managing to beat him. The only familiar face from this area in parliament is Frank Ramsden, who has now been appointed Minister of Transport and Communications. They have joined 56 other elected MPs, including four specially elected MPs for the swearing in ceremony, endorsing the Vice President, electing the Speaker and electing parliamentary committees. The four specially elected MPs are Kenneth Mathambo, Dorcus Makgatho-Malesu, Vincent Seretse and Lesego Motsumi. History was also made when, for the first time, a woman was elected Speaker of the national assembly. Margaret Nasha was elected and will be assisted by the MP for Tonota South, Pono Moathodi.
WOMAN STABS SLEEPING EX-LOVER
By Staff Reporters
A knife-wielding woman waited until her former boyfriend, and father of her 4-year-old child, was asleep on Sunday morning before allegedly stabbing him in the stomach with a knife.
The man survived a second attack by grabbing the knife from her hands, in the process receiving cuts to his hands.
The woman, a shop worker, has been arrested by the police. The ex-boyfriend, a taxi driver, has been operated on at Letsholathebe II Memorial Hospital in Maun and is said to be in a satisfactory condition.
It has been established that the couple fought last month when she bit him on an arm. The police were called at the time and advised the two to separate. Last Saturday, the woman apparently went to the man's house at Newtown, found that he was not there and then went to a shop to buy a spare key for his room. She went back to the house and waited inside for him to return.
When the man arrived, he asked her what was the problem and what she was doing in his house. The two then started quarrelling and later the man decided to sleep, leaving the woman awake.
It was while he was sleeping that she allegedly stabbed him with a knife in the stomach. He woke up and avoided a second stabbing by grabbing the knife with his hands and in the process being wounded further.
He then managed to get out of the room to shout for help from neighbours, and went to the landlord where he asked her to take him to the police and to hospital. By this time the ex-lover had run off. The police were called but they did not respond, so the victim went to the police station to report the incident. He was told by a police officer on duty that the stab wound was not a serious one. He then went to the hospital where he was admitted and the next day underwent an operation. The woman was arrested and detained for a day before being released pending investigations into the matter.
Maun police station commander Robson Maleka confirmed the incident and revealed that the man was at Letsholathebe II Memorial with serious wounds. He said he had no knowledge of the remark allegedly made by the police officer on duty.
The names of the two have not been revealed as investigations are ongoing.
Okavango Basin under the spotlight
By Bright Kholi
The Permanent Okavango River Basin Water Commission (OKACOM) through its Secretariat which is based in Maun this week held an open house event to familiarise the community and other stakeholders of its office and members of staff.
Speaking at the event, the Executive secretary of OKACOM, Eben Chonguica, said that it was important that people know about the operations of OKACOM, especially its secretariat which manages all the decisions of the organisations. He noted that OKACOM was established in 1994 by the governments of Botswana, Angola and Namibia to manage the water and land resources of the Okavango River Basin in a trans-boundary manner.
Chonguica also said that the project is ambitious - a well deserved one adding that its biggest challenge is to manage these resources at a trans-boundary manner as most activities related to resource management are at national level in all the three states.
The objective of the commission is to act as the technical advisor to the contracting parties on matters of common interest relating to the conservation, development and utilisation of water resources in the Okavango River Basin, he said. The OKACOM Secretariat office was launched in February 2008 and Botswana is the first host of the secretariat.
The country coordinator of the BiOkavango Project, Nkobi Moleele, said the most important message was the Botswana is hosting an important regional institution that is leading the way in sharing responsibility for wise management of what is perhaps that region's most significant natural resource, the Okavango River. He said BiOkavango's aim is to remove barriers to effective biodiversity conservation practices in the major production sectors in the Delta which are water, tourism and fisheries. All these sectors are dependant on ecological services and goods provided by the Okavango wetland system, which has its origins in the highlands of Angola and traverse through Namibia and which is affected be all the landscapes the river passes through on its way to us, he said. He said what they learn at BiOkavango can be shared with neighbouring governments of Angola and Namibia through OKACOM - so the three countries can put best practices to work for the river and its communities. We are proud to be part of this international learning process, he said.
INAUGURAL ADDRESS BY KHAMA
Excerpts from the Inaugural Address given by President Ian Khama following his election as President of Botswana
I wish to congratulate all members of Parliament and Councillors across party lines for their success. Whilst one party may have faired better than others, the overall outcome is more important, as it reflects the will of the people.
We are united in our knowledge that our collective aspirations and destiny as a people are far greater than the individual differences we have at party political level. Team work and collaboration will be crucial if we are to deliver to the expectations of Batswana.
We must use this opportunity to count our blessings, and remember that many societies find peace and stability elusive which we take for granted; that horrendous atrocities have fallen upon many countries; and that economic ruin has resulted from poor governance which places sectarian interests ahead of national interest. We must forever remain vigilant and guard our treasure of democracy jealously.
When I took office in April 2008, I enumerated some of the challenges which lie ahead, and my resolve to harness our collective energies and capacities to overcome them. These challenges, namely, unemployment, poverty, crime, HIV and AIDS, shortage of shelter, declining social values, environmental degradation and global competition remain valid today. I am happy to report that we have put in place a number of policies, programmes and projects, measures and initiatives to tackle most if not all of them and will continue to do so in the coming term.
These measures cover a whole range of the development agenda. Particular attention will also be paid to agriculture, education and skills development, health, housing, youth empowerment, sports, the arts, diversification and sustainable use of resources.
I remain committed to turning around the agricultural sector, such that production levels of both livestock and crops is increased significantly. Through commercialisation of areas where we have comparative advantage, provision of infrastructure, as well as facilitation of credit, the agricultural sectors' contribution to GDP as well as our food security should improve.
Human resource development remains critical. Through our education and skills development policies and programmes, issues of access, quality and equity will continue to be addressed. This is necessary to meet our current and future needs, and for international competitiveness . . . closely related to the development of our skills base is the need to move with speed into a knowledge society.
We have long recognised that the diversification of the economy both within the minerals sector and beyond is a key strategy for our future survival. It is for this reason that considerable investment will continue to go into mineral beneficiation, infrastructure development in all sectors including transport, energy and water.
The combined effect of our investments in the various sectors will be job creation as well as poverty alleviation. In this regard, I have decided as I did with employment creation which is coordinated from my office by the Vice President that our poverty eradication strategy will also likewise be co-ordinated from the Office of the President by the Vice President to ensure we maximize the impact of our various programmes and policies towards the goal of bringing about dignity for those living in poverty.
The Youth are our future. Consequently investment in sports, the arts and youth empowerment schemes will remain a key part of our development agenda.For us to make notable progress, everyone in the public service, the private sector, in every office, mine, farm, masimo, moraka - must all give their best. Every student and teacher must remember that a moment lost relegates us to the bottom of the skills and knowledge hierarchy. Every artist and every sportsperson should strive to be the very best.
One of our pivotal aspirations is to create a Compassionate, Just and Caring nation, a key tenet of which is dignified living. This aspiration is driven by our respect for human life. Our health care system, poverty alleviation measures, support for the young, the elderly, people with disabilities, as well as orphans, will be driven in this term by this value system.
We preach mindset change to the nation. This ranges from improvement in the nations work ethic, for better productivity and thus improved Delivery, prudent use of our scarce resources and elimination of waste, to the acceptance that no nation is self-sufficient in all areas. In this regard, both foreign capital and foreign skills which are complimentary to our own resources will continue to be welcome.
While optimistic about our future, I remain conscious of the challenges brought on by the Global Financial Crisis. In this connection, the private sector must redouble its efforts in a spirit of partnership with government to grow the economy.
Let me reiterate that I, as I am sure all of you do, hold dearly the principles and values of democracy and freedom. Adherence to these values allows participation and ownership by our people in the creation of a common destiny. These ideals inform our foreign policy, as we desire for others what we desire for ourselves. We will work with our SADC colleagues to ensure that these ideals become a culture in our region and the continent as a whole.
Let me remind the nation at large that everyone must be ready to be held accountable. We need to rekindle our spirit of self-reliance. Like it or not, self-reliance is an issue of willpower and pride, and it requires discipline to stay the course. Our conduct must also be beyond reproach.
The new Cabinet
PRESIDENT
Lt. Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama
VICE PRESIDENT
Lt. Gen. Mompati S. Merafhe
ATTORNEY GENERAL
Athaliah Molokomme (ex officio)
SECRETARY TO CABINET
Eric Molale - Permanent Secretary to the President (ex officio)
PRESIDENTIAL AFFAIRS and PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
Lesego E. Motsumi. Assistant Minister - Mokgweetsi Eric Masisi
DEFENCE, JUSTICE and SECURITY
Dikgakgamatso R. Seretse
FOREIGN AFFAIRS and INTERNATIONAL
Phandu T.C. Skelemani - Minister
FINANCE and DEVELOPMENT
Kenneth O. Matambo. Assistant Minister - Charles Mbiganyi Tibone
INFRASTRUCTURE, SCIENCE and TECHNOLOGY
Johnnie K. Swartz
LANDS and HOUSING
Hon. Nonofo E. Molefi
LABOUR and HOME AFFAIRS
Peter L. Siele
YOUTH, SPORTS and CULTURE
Shaw Kgathi - Minister
TRADE and INDUSTRY
Baledzi G. Gaolathe. Assistant Minister - Dorcus Makgato-Malesu
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Lebonamang T. Mokalake. Assistant Ministers - Botlogile Mogogo Tshireletso and Kentse Rammidi
AGRICULTURE
Christiaan De Graaff. Assistant Minister - Oreeditse Molebatsi
TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS
Frank Ramsden - Minister
MINERALS, ENERGY and WATER RESOURCES
Ponatshego H. Kedikilwe
EDUCATION and SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi. Assistant Minister - Keletso Joseph Rakhudu
ENVIRONMENT, WILDLIFE and TOURISM
Kitso Onkokame Mokaila
HEALTH
John Seakgosing. Assistant Minister - Maxwell Motowane
Councillors who have won seats
Chobe District Council
Kasane Plateau : Elson Kamwi Samunzala
Kasane Central : Chifu S. Munihango
Pandamatenga : Jeffery Masa
Chobe Enclave East : Bobbie Setlhare
Chobe Enclave West : Mwanota Kachana
Kazungula/Lesoma : Babaoloki Npebe
Mababe/Sankuyo : Mika Thoromo
Khwai/Savuti : Kebadiretse Ntsogoto
North West District Council
Etsha 13 : Dikoro Kahupa
Etsha 6 : Gilbert Dithinde
Makgobokgobo : Kitso Ngande
Tubu : Mpoke Karapo
Gumare North : Motlamedi Moqhwa
Gumare South : Letshabamang Morulaganye
Qangwa : Lefetogile Nxowe
Nokaneng : Latlhang Molonda
Tsau : Allen Sokwe
Kareng : Lekopanye Ledimo
Sehithwa : Lucky Phaladi
Bodibeng/Bothatogo : Managoba Managoba
Toteng : Kgothagano Motsamai
Nxauxau/Xaudum : Samson Mauano
Shakawe West/Gani : Timothy Sehanze
Shakawe East : Kavetu Kangumbe
Nxamasere : Segopo Pompong
Sepopa/Ikoga : Botshelo Mapa
Kauxwi : Senyemba Mohago Timothy
Ngarange : Moheto Nyumba
Seronga : Kotongwa Saoqho
Gunotsoga/Beetsha : Sekondeko Maswabi
Gudiqwa/Vumbura : Olatotswe Sarefo
Thamalakane South : Benn Jemiah
Thamalakane North : Bethia Clement Tebogo
Sedie : Kaukapita Selebine
Matlapana : Mosika Tapoloso
Boseja East : Kgari Baphuthuludi
Boseja West : Moreti Vepauine
Makalamabedi North : Sekuni Selebatso Geofrey
Makalamabedi South : Mogalakwe Moetetsi
Shorobe : Chaba Odirile Sam
Komana : Morolong Mosimanyana
Thitoyamokodi : Modiegi Mmoedi
Kubung : Monyame Pelokgale
Kgosing : Mhapha Galaletsang
Boyei : Morapedi Obonya
Botshabelo : Ramasu Botshelobokae
Maun's two parliamentary victors were early arrivals at polling booths in Maun East and Maun West, respectively, last Friday. These pictures show new Minister of Transport and Communications, Frank Ramsden, and new MP, Tawana Moremi, in buoyant mood (Pictures: Bright Kholi)
The state of the parties
Compared to Sunday's figures there was a downward shift in the Botswana congress Party (BCP) vote, leaving them with just over 20% of the total votes obtained.
The Botswana National Front (BNF) obtained just over 22%.
Constituency/Party
BDP
BNF
BCP/BAM
BPP
MELS
Indep.
Total vote by party*
290,398
124792
110471
7557
292
10521
Total vote % by party
53.3%
22.9%
20.3%
1.4%
.0%
1.9%
Total number of seats
45
6
5
-
-
1
*Total number of votes cast 544,031
EDITORIAL
Khama to change the nation's mindset
The results of the general election have certainly given President Ian Khama something to think about and in some respects he has moved fast to implement solutions to problem areas.
Delivery is now one of the D's which has characterised his administration to date. The others are Democracy, Development, Dignity and Discipline.
It is no coincidence that he has taken a number of key government activities under his wing the Office of the President is now responsible for information and broadcasting, poverty reduction, disability coordination, and public service reforms.
Up until now these have been haphazard affairs with shoot from the hip and knee jerk solutions put forward.
An example of the information and broadcasting situation has been clear for all to see since Friday's election amateurism in front of the camera and behind the microphone, incorrect election results being broadcast, poor television coverage of the general election and poor TV transmissions (particularly news broadcasts on Tuesday).
Reform of the public service in all its departments is well overdue and it will be interesting to see how the government intends cracking the whip in this regard.
The President says the nation in general has to change its mindset he is right.
He has himself come across many incidents of public servants literally falling down on the job. He has toured the country since last April asking questions, the answers to some of which are now coming to the fore as he makes it clear Batswana will jump to his tune in the years ahead
Elections have a habit of throwing up odds and ends that make a newspaperman's life such fun or boring.
This time it fell to Botswana Television to make fools of themselves by announcing several wrong results, by so doing throwing families and friends into the depths of despair only to find that what was said was the exact opposite of what actually took place.
It happened to the Ramsden family in Maun on Saturday as the TV announcer blithely announced Frank Ramsden, assistant minister of Works and Transport in the former government had been beaten in the Maun East constituency.
Everybody found it hard to believe but it took the TV station, to which most of Botswana's population was tuned in to, hours to rectify the mistake.
The same thing happened to foreign minister Phandu Skelemani who was also said to have received a drubbing in his consultancy. Nope, that was not the case!
In addition, the country was kept guessing as to whether Jacob Nkate, of the Ngami constituency, had kept his hold on the Ngami seat. He certainly did not although the Sunday Standard trumpeted BDP strongman Jacob Nkate also had no trouble retaining his Ngami constituency as he beat his challengers hands down.
Whoops! Nkate was bundled out by 271 votes by his Botswana Congress Party opponent.
The secret of course is to get it right the first time as the broadcaster (or newspaper for that matter) will have egg on his or her face for years to come.
The Ngami Times gets to all sorts of places if it's not read on-line by a bored weather forecaster in the Antarctic or by someone in Mongolia, then it is read while sitting on one of Namibia's magical sand dunes.
Local resident Henk Mieiras was at remote Sossie's Vlei in Namibia recently when he decided it was time to read the real thing he unfolded his copy of The Ngami Times to catch up on the latest news from home.
Here he is pictured sitting comfortably on the sand with his favourite newspaper!
Here's something of interest for all our readers
This information was in The New York Times several weeks ago as part of their Spotlight on the Home series that highlighted creative and fanciful ways to solve common problems.Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one cucumber contains vitamins B1, B2,B3,B5 and B6, folic acid, vitamin C, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and zinc. Feeling tired in the afternoon? Put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B vitamins and carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower? Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror, it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing fragrance.Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out or to the pool this summer? Works great on wrinkles too!!! Want to avoid a terrible headache? Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free. Need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone! Stressed out and don't have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa? Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber will react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress. Using a pen and made a mistake? Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing, also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls!!
Many went to polling stations
Blurb
Election reports by Bright Kholi, Gaolebogwe Moipei, Keagisitswe Dioka, Basadi Morokotso
Residents of Maun and surrounding areas went to the polling stations in larges numbers on October 16 to cast their votes in the general election.
Many polling stations were had long queues as early as 6 am and some voters told The Ngami Times that they started queuing between 2 and 3 am.
All the polling stations opened at 6.30 am, and at that time there were long queues which unfortunately were not helped by the slow pace at which voters were being helped. The process was slow in most stations but got better as the day progressed.
However in areas like Kgantshang and Dikgathong, polling stations did not have long queues in the late morning as voters trickled in to those areas.
In Shakwa kgotla, which falls in the Kubung Ward,three parties were represented for both parliamentary and council.
Members of the public expressed concern over long queues as they were standing in the hot sun, and they complained that the presiding officers were slow resulting in long queues.
At Shakwa kgotla and other polling stations some voters had a problem in that the voter's roll did not show the same names that were shown on the election blue card and the presiding officer had to confirm names with returning officers causing further delays.
Many elderly people and disabled people voted, so presiding officers had to help them cast their votes. At Shakwa, for instance, the last person to cast his vote arrived at the station at around 18:57 pm. That is three minutes before closing time. Around 6 pm, voters continued to trickle in an indication that many had voted during the morning and during lunch.
At exactly 7pm the gates were closed, and the presiding officers started counting the ballot papers used, unused ballots were gathered together, and they packed up everything used during the day. The boxes were then transported to counting centres.
At Boyei Primary School, in Maun West, voters appeared to be eager to vote as there over 150 people outside the polling station by 6 am. The voting process then made things worse as it was very slow, which led to some people losing patience.
By lunch time the queue had reduced but there were those who came in drunk and wanted to jump the queue. Numbers started reducing dramatically in the afternoon while at Thogoyatonki Tent, in Maun East, there was concern about the delay caused by presiding officers. They told The Ngami Times while they were still patiently for voters that they woke up as early as 3am in the hope that they would finish on time. There were more than 300 voters waiting when the polling station opened at 6.30am.
They also said they expected presiding officers to take the names of the first people in order to avoid the delay when starting. What they expected also was for the IEC to teach people on how to vote as time and again they were asking those who had already finished voting about the symbols of parties and how to vote.
Meanwhile, in Shorobe, things were going on well when The Ngami Times visited Shorobe Primary School polling station at 1pm. There were a few people queuing and this indicated that many people had voted early in the morning.
Man, boy drown in the river
Maun police are investigating two more cases of drowning in the Thamalakane River.
A middle-aged man, said to be a refugee at Dukwi, and a 9-year-old boy drowned over the weekend.
The refugee is said to have been fishing with another man from a canoe on October 16 at Xhana cattle post. It is understood that the canoe sprung a leak while they were in the middle of the river and the canoe sank.
The other man managed to escape and raise the alarm. The dead man was found trapped by fishing net.
The incident has been confirmed by Maun police station commander Robson Maleka who said no foul play was suspected.
In the other drowning, the 9-year-old boy from Matlapana drowned in the Thamalakane on Saturday.
The boy was accompanied by others near the river bank when he fell in. He was taken from the river by passersby and efforts to revive him a medical rescue team failed.
He was taken to Letsholathebe II Memorial Hospital where he was certified dead.
Maleka said the numbers of people drowning since the beginning of the year stands at 11.
President's office oversees many new state departments
Special Correspondent
GABORONE President Ian Khama has decided to restructure certain Ministries and government departments.
This is further to the President's new principle of Delivery, the 5 th to be added to his original 4 Ds principles that have characterized his administration.
The departments of Information, Broadcasting and Government Printing and Publishing Services have been relocated to the Office of the President. The Botswana Government Communications and Information Services Division is also being relocated to the Office of the President.
Also moving from the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning to the Office of the President is the Coordinating Office for the Poverty Reduction Strategy, while a new one - the Disability Coordination Division - has also been created.
The Government Implementation and Coordination Office has been merged with the Public Service Reforms Division, both of which are in the Office of the President, to create the Government Strategy Development Office.
The Ministry of Communications, Science and Technology and that of Works and Transport have also been restructured.
A Ministry of Infrastructure, Science and Technology has been created comprised of the following departments: Electrical and Building Engineering Services; Research, Science and Technology; and, Radiation Protection.
A Ministry of Transport and Communications has also been created, with the departments of Road Transport and Safety; Central Transport Organisation; Telecommunications and Postal Services; Department of Roads; and, Information Technology
NEWS FEATURE
Khama sets out view of democracy
By Shaka Ssali
Voice of America
In a year and a half since President Ian Khama took office, he says Botswana has made great strides in governance and personal freedoms, even within the distinctive characteristics of its own single-party ruling system.
As Botswana's vice president, Khama took over from Festus Mogae who resigned the presidency on April 1, last year.
In an exclusive Voice of America interview, conducted shortly after Botswana marked its 43rd anniversary of independence on September 30, Khama who continues as President following last week's general elections - reflected on how Botswana can help countries beyond its borders, from Zimbabwe, to Kenya and Madagascar, to extend the benefits of democratic rule to their own peoples.
He noted that Botswana has actively criticised Harare's conduct of runoff elections, land reform, and power-sharing but he also contended that the outlook of Zimbabwe's other neighbors and the impact of western-led criticism of President Robert Mugabe's rule must be taken into account in assessing the effectiveness of the current power-sharing arrangement in Harare.
"There is a sense of solidarity on the continent not to try and criticise others. I think those in the international community who led the criticism about Zimbabwe were predominantly from the West, and Robert Mugabe cleverly used that to give the impression that this was a black-white thing, especially when it came to the land issue," said Khama.
Zimbabwe's neighbors within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) were reluctant to criticize Harare's attempts to redistribute the land. What was wrong with Zimbabwe's methods, he said, was "the manner in which they went about it, the violence that accompanied it. And that was something which was just unacceptable."
Botswana has been disappointed that several SADC and African Union (AU) member states had failed to criticise leaders who come into office and perpetuate their rule after their terms expire either through manipulation, election rigging, faulty runoffs, or flawed power-sharing arrangements.
"I think with some of them, they probably looked at it from the point of view that, 'look, this may happen to us one day. And if we have everyone else calling for our removal, let us consider that we may be in the same situation.' And therefore, they are careful about criticizing another leader, even if he is doing things which they may not necessarily agree with," he suggested.
The president says he agrees with the notion that countries that freely practice democratic principles should work to extend the spirit of independence across the African continent to engage others by promoting democracy beyond their own national boundaries.
Researchers overcome difficulties and dangers of training in bush
Running a marathon is never easy, but for Kate Evans and Simon Buckingham (picture above) from the charity Elephants for Africa the challenge is a little harder because they live in the bush
and have to train in an area where running is not advised.
The New York City marathon on November 1 is the second event in their tri-continent Triathlon through which they hope to raise enough funds to buy a 4x4 vehicle for the charity's research project in the Okavango Delta.
The first challenge was taking on the mighty Mount Kilimanjaro, which at 5985m is the highest mountain in Africa.
They successfully reached the summit on the charity's 1st birthday (December 18) with their friend and fellow fundraiser, Rebecca Smith.
The final event will be an endurance bike ride in Europe. They began training for the marathon in the beautiful countryside of the Cotswolds and the streets of Bristol in England. In August, their running resumed in the lowveld area of South Africa and the coastline of Cape Town. Now they are training in the wilderness of the Okavango delta, where they live and study the largest remaining population of the African elephant.
Temik is a killer on the loose
Temik, the poison that helped kill dozens of rare vultures near Maun recently, is regarded as one of the worst poisons in existence and even more deadly than arsenic. It is so powerful that illegal buyers know it as two-step an animal, or a human, given it is said to take only two steps before dying. One teaspoon is enough to kill a grown rhino, a mere 1 mg can kill a rodent weighing less than a kilogram. In recent years, Temik has become a powerful weapon used by burglars to silence their canine victims. In 2003, the poison was used to maliciously kill 97 pets in South Africa's Gauteng province. Now yet another use is emerging assisting poachers in their deadly work. Earlier this month, five endangered white rhino were poisoned along with scores of other large game in South Africa's Nwanedi Nature Reserve. The fear is that farm invasions in Zimbabwe has resulted in the poison stockpiled by farmers chased off the lands - being made available to criminal gangs in South Africa, Botswana, and Namibia. Temik is widely used as a pesticide on crops such as cotton, potatoes and peanuts. It is registered in terms of the fertilisers, farm seeds, agricultural and stock remedies. As a member of the carbamate pesticides, classification is divided into super, high and medium toxicity. Temik falls in the super-toxin class, which means that it is highly toxic, says toxicologist Gerbus Muller, from the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa. The substance has a dark grey to black, granule-like appearance - farmers won't necessarily be able to operate without this pesticide, Muller says. The only lawful way of obtaining it is by either being a qualified pesticide operator, or by having a qualified operator present while using the product. However, experts reckon that the widespread distribution and use of Temik is not necessarily linked to registered distributors, but to the illegal selling of it as a domestic rat poison. Symptoms of poisoning include weakness, headaches, vomiting and eventually death, if untreated it takes approximately an hour to an hour and a half for symptoms to show, and lasts for up to six to eight hours as it attacks the nervous system and inhibits breathing. The best-known treatment is atropine, injected intravenously or under the skin. Electrolyte therapy and activated charcoal along with a number of other therapies are also frequently used. The survival rate is estimated at 50%-75%, following treatment and the average cost of treatment is estimated to be in the range of P500 to P1 500, depending on duration of hospitalisation and range of treatments used.
Major changes in the North West
Ngami, Okavango and Chobe political constituencies have seen a dramatic change in the voting pattern for both councillors and members of parliament.
The general election held on Friday saw prominent members of parliament from the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) losing their seats to the opposition. The first casualty was former Chobe MP Duncan Mlazie who lost to Botswana Congress Party (BCP) candidate Gibson Nshimwe. Mlazie received 3 057 votes while Nshimwe garnered 3 322.
Second to fall off was Education and Skills Development minister Jacob Nkate in Ngami. He lost to Habano of BAM. Nkate received 6 565 votes while Habano got 6 836 votes.
Okavango's Vister Moruti lost to the BCP's youthful candidate Bagalatia Arone, who obtained 6 211 votes against Moruti's 4 309. The BDP retained Maun East and Maun West with Tawana Moremi and Frank Ramsden who got 4 686 and 6 509 votes, respectively.
There also some major political shake ups in the North West District and Chobe councils' elections. In Chobe, the BDP lost Kasane Plateau ward to the BCP which won 587 votes against the BDP's 466. The BDP was also ousted by the BCP in Khwai/Savuti ward by two votes. The BDP received 167 votes against the BCP's 169.
In Maun East, Makalamabedi North was won by the Botswana National Front (BNF) got 324 votes, snatching from the BDP which got 319 votes. Another major change was in Shorobe where the longest serving councillor, Gaditshwane Mmutle, of BAM, lost his ward to the BDP. Mmutle got 355 votes while the BDP received 397.
In Maun West, only Botshabelo Ward changed hands - from the BDP to BAM. The incumbent, Moses Seboifeng, got a thorough thrashing from Botshelobokae Ramasu. Seboifeng got a paltry 541 votes while Ramasu garnered 1 203.
Councillors will also be faced with the task of electing a council chairman and deputy. The departure of former NWD council chairman John Benn will also have a negative impact because, besides being a respected member of the community, he had all that it took to be where he was. He knew his job and always stood his ground.
Nothing stopped him from facing reality and sticking by principles whenever that need arouse. He was well known for not taking sides, and those close to him knew this well.
Ozone depleting substances come to an end
GABORONE - Batswana have been urged to stop using ozone depleting substances (ODSs) by the end of the year in line with the obligations of the Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer. The ozone is an airborne chemical that causes both adverse and beneficial health effects. These substances are chemical substances that deplete ozone in the upper atmosphere and include refrigerants (Freon), fire suppression agents (halon), and cleaning solvents such as R-113, TCA and carbon tetrachloride. A news release from the National Ozone Unit says that Botswana signed the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Stratospheric Ozone and its Montreal Protocol on Substances that deplete the ozone on December 4, 1991, and the London and Copenhagen Amendments to the Montreal Protocol on May 13, 1997. Botswana has had obligations under the protocol for the 1999 freeze, 2000-50% reduction and the 2007-85% reduction and now to totally stop using these chemicals by December 31. The Department of Meteorological Services, the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Technishe Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) and the National Ozone Unit have developed a programme of action and invite various stakeholders public to ensure Botswana complies
Delivery elevated to prime spot by Khama
GABORONE President Ian Khama has added a fifth D, for Delivery, to the four D strategy he announced at his inauguration last year. The others are democracy, dignity, development and discipline. The president was addressing an impromptu political rally at Old Naledi in the Gaborone South constituency where the Botswana democratic Party took back the seat after 28 years of Botswana National Front dominance. President Khama said now that the October 16 general election had given him the mandate, he expected everyone, especially MPs, councilors as well as civil servants to deliver services to Batswana. He said there was going to be massive changes in the country in terms of service delivery. According to the president, some MPs and councilors only want senior positions in the party but Batswana have issues and concerns that must be given priority and addressed on time if they want to be voted back into power in 2014.
Times Sport
Zebras off to a great start!
Tirivhanu Mangwiro Reports from Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
BULAWAYO - Botswana's Zebras, eager to wipe out the allegations of match fixing in their match against China, started brilliantly in the COSAFA Castle Cup Challenge here this week. They drew their first game against Comoros and then beat Swaziland 1-0 to head the log. They were playing at the time of going to press on Thursday, a game vital if they want to play in the quarter-finals over the next few days. Despite a dull goalless draw against lowly rated Comoros, in the opening game in Bulawayo at Barbourfields stadium on Sunday afternoon, the Stanley Tshosane-led outfit went past Swaziland with a convincing 1-0 win on Tuesday afternoon at the same venue. It was a relief and a sweet victory for the Zebras who are tipped to win the group and proceed to the finals. However Group A has surprise packages. Comoros went into this tournament as underdogs but they have proved to be good and have a great chance of making it through to the quarter finals. In a press conference before the tournament kick off, Comoros head coach Adberemane Chamite said their participation will help to expose their players and also to get experience. The Zebras were expected to have easily marched past the Comoros, but it was not easy as many had predicted.Against the Comoros, the Zebras would have wrapped up their win in the opening minutes of the first half but they have themselves to blame for failing to beat an out-of-sorts Comoros outfit. With a capacity crowd rallied behind the team, they dominated the entire 90 minutes but strikers Onalethata Tshekiso, Mokgathi Mokgathi and man of the match Pontsho Moloi denied Botswana a chance to go top of Group B. With just two minutes of play in the first half, Comoros launched an attack on the Zebras goal area but Miktadi Doud blasted his effort over the bar after he received a perfect pass from captain Mohamed Mouigini. The game picked up in the 9 th minute when the Zebras took control as they forced the Comoros to play in their own half. BDF XI striker Mokgathi Mokgathi exchanged passes with Tshekiso in the Comoros goal area, but he fumbled his shot with goalkeeper Mroivili Mahamoud to beat. Another chance for the Zebras went begging in the 13 th minute as Tshekiso, Mokgathi and Moloi all missed a perfect cross from the left wing by Dirang Moloi, who also had an outstanding game. The Comoros could not easily beat the Zebras defence which was well marshaled by Ndiyapo Letsholathebe; skipper Mompati Thuma, Mpoeleng Mpoeleng and veteran midfielder Michael Mogaladi who played the right back position. The Comoros were forced to defend, and had goalkeeper Mahamoud to thank as he shut down most of the raids by Botswana. Just before the half time whistle, the Zebras might have found an opener, but Tshekiso shot his effort over the bar after being fed by Moloi who had a field day in the middle of the park. After the break, the islanders brought in Nazaralli Issa for Mohamoud Farouk but the changes did not make a difference to the complexion of the game. Zebras brought in Mmusa Ohilwe in place of the injured Mogaladi. Premature celebrations by Tshekiso in the 64 th minute cost the Zebras, after he lobbed the ball over the advancing Comoros goalkeeper Mahamoud, but the ball struck the crossbar and cleared off the line by the defence as Tshekiso was already celebrating. Despite playing much of the game in their own half, the Comoros held on until the final whistle to settle for a draw. In another match played on the same day, Swaziland beat Seychelles 2-1. In Harare, the host nation Zimbabwe thrashed Mauritius 3-0 before being held to a 2-2 draw by Lesotho in their second game. Had they won their game against Lesotho, Zimbabwe would have qualified for the quarterfinals, but they now have to wait for the match between Lesotho and Mauritius. The Zebras second game against Swaziland was a must-win if they wanted to stay in contention. Tshosane made a few chances to the team which played in the opening counter and Kemmy Pilato, Mmusa Ohilwe and Mosimanegape Ramohobidu started the game ahead of Dirang Moloi, Mogaladi and Mpoeleng. The Zebras started off at a low pace and were nearly caught unawares by Swaziland as Sabelo Hlatjwako nearly got the opener for his side in the 10 th minute but squandered the golden opportunity that might have put his team ahead. As time went on, the Zebras managed to combine well to create scoring chances. A foul was committed just outside penalty box, Mokgathi Mokgathi was brought down in the 18 th minute and this was an opportunity to take the lead but Moloi shot straight to the Swazi goalkeeper Sandile Ginidza. Zebras looked determined and focused, but they allowed Swaziland to play more in the middle of the park where they dominated the most. The Swazis were forced to make an early substitute when Lwazi Maziya was injured and replaced by Sifiso Dlamini. That nearly worked for coach Ephraim Mashaba as they came close to getting a goal through a corner kick which was headed away by Mxolisi Mtsefwa. After a pep talk from the dressing room, the Zebras came back attacking from all angles but credit must go to Pontsho Moloi who turned out to be the fans' favourite. Malepa Bolelang rose from the bench and broke the hearts of the Swazis with a decisive header on 55 minutes. The goal proved to be the difference between winners and losers. After just 3 minutes on the field, the star striker never put his foot wrong as he scored the only goal for Botswana after being fed by the shining Moloi, who was back again very quickly but his effort was tipped over the bar by Ginidza. Moloi was Man of the Match for the second time in two matches. When speaking to Times Sports in an interview, Moloi said that he is looking forward to the finals we played as a team, and that is why I got this award. Without my team mates, I would not have got this award Botswana now has 4 points from 2 games, while Comoros Islands beat Seychelles 2-1 in another match. By the time of going for press, Botswana will know their fate in their last game against Seychelles on Thursday afternoon. It will be also another interesting affair for the Zebras who need to win this encounter to go through to the quarter finals.
A cesspool of sewage . . . the overflow from Maun's sewage ponds has seeped into the ground over a large area near Maun airport and Botshabelo. This aerial picture clearly shows the overflow which was originally close to the ponds but has since spread. The Local residents fear that diseases could result from the overflow as the sewage sinks into the ground water supply.
By Keagisitswe Dioka
The Maun Shuffle
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