BAKWENA HAVE SUFFERED!
Kgosi Kgari takes a swipe at former MPs for false promises Molepolole set to receive water in 18 months Lentse le le Kwena ee nnang ko ntle ga metsi - Masisi
Bakwena Kgosikgolo, Kgosi Kgari Sechele III bravely seized the moment during the groundbreaking ceremony of the over P785 million Gamononyane-Molepolole water project to demonstrate how government’s promise to bring stable potable water for his tribe took decades to be fulfilled.
The Molepolole-Gamononyane North South Carrier Connection Water Project was awarded in August 2021 to Zhengtai/Dan Joint Venture at a cost of P785, 565, 355.17. The ceremony was conducted in two different places, at the main Bakwena Kgotla before invited guests travelled eastwards for some three kilometres to Magokotswane ward. Like a Field Marshal in a war zone, the soft spoken Kgari took control. He did not mince any words speaking on how his tribe suffered for the past two decades with some areas of the most populated village in the country at times operating on dry taps for days. Kgari did not only thank government for ensuring that potable water is finally brought to the greater Molepolole area, but also appealed to all stakeholders from the contractor ZHENTAI DANS- Joint Venture, as well as the tribe to cooperate and ensure that the project is completed within the stipulated time of 18 months. Kgari expressed frustration at the amount of time it has taken the political leadership to fulfil their promise. He recalled that all former Members of Parliament for the area including Daniel Kwelagobe, the late Utlwang Mathabaphiri both of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), as well as Mahommed Khan of Botswana National Front (BNF) and Dr Tlamelo Mmatli of Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) had made promises and committed to ensuring that potable water would be delivered during their tenure but to no avail. Kgari is thankful that there is now some action from government to ensure that the village is connected to the NSC
following the completion of the 100 kilometres Masama-Mmamashia water pipeline. Appealing to the tribe, Kgari said: “Let us have patience. If we waited for two decades for this day to come where we will have water, then we can afford to wait for just 18 months.” Amid the jab at the failed promises from the previous MPs, the current crop took time to shine, with Molepolole North MP Oabile Regoeng giving himself and MP Kabo Morwaeng credit for having fulfilled their promise as water will be delivered to Molepolole during their tenure. President Mokgweetsi Masisi also expressed delight that water would soon reach Molepolole, a village regarded as the biggest in Africa. He jokingly said the shortage of water in the village has reduced Bakwena whose totem is a crocodile, to “Dikwena tse di nnang mo sekakeng,” - crocodiles that dwell in the desert. He emphasised that the Joint Venture comprises a 40 percent citizenowned company as Government is committed to
support citizen-owned companies. The project Environmental Management Services is contracted to Royal Pioneers Investments (PTY) Ltd at an amount of P3, 324,735.60. The project will be executed over an 18-month period from September 2021 to March 2023, and is expected to create over 700 jobs for both skilled and nonskilled Batswana from the surrounding villages. He said government will also implement the Molepolole Network Rehabilitation and Sanitation project. The project will ensure that water supplied to Molepolole is not lost due to old leaking pipes and that a centralised waterborne sewerage network is constructed to manage waste water. It will also develop downstream sectors such as agriculture that will benefit from the wastewater. “I request residents of Kweneng District to work with the contractor and other stakeholders to provide the necessary support to make sure that the project is completed on time,” Masisi said.