SOPE EXTENSION WON’T BE NECESSARY - BDP NYEC
BOTSWANA Democratic Party Youth Executive Committee (NYEC) has joined the chorus of those people calling against the possible extension of State of Public Emergency (SOPE).
In an interview with The Voice, The BDP NYEC Chairman, Karabo Gomotsegang, said that they have been engaging the Ministry of Health and Wellness and the Botswana Public Health Institute to devise a plan in which people can live without SOPE.
“We believe there won’t be any extension as alleged by people and we as NYEC want the organisations that we have approached to help us.” Gomotsegang said that there should be no extension of SOPE but instead government must find ways in which the vaccine roll out can be sped up.
The BDP NYEC stated its position on SOPE a week after BDP Women’s league also spoke against SOPE extension.
However, the ruling party Chief Whip, Liakat Kablay, sang from a different hymn book as he expressed his support for SOPE extension.
“The lives of our people are at stake, we have to help our nation through this pandemic. SOPE is the strongest legal tool availed in our laws to provide sufficient legal leverage in disease containment and control,” said Kablay.
He further stated that through SOPE, curfews and lockdowns would continue to be imposed to control the spread of the disease by limiting movement.
“Testing of all persons at all points of entry, requirements to wear face mask, inter zone movement permits and temperature screening can only be followed through while under SOPE,” he said.
The six months SOPE comes to an end in September and allegations are that the President, Mokgweetsi Masisi, is planning to extend it again by another six months.