Church shoots down constitution amendment

● AFM opposes same sex marriages

● Church queries 10 specially elected MPS

● Also opposes appointment of 10 more for Ntlo ya Dikgosi

● Church to issue ‘hit list’ of MPs supporting Bill

The executive council of the Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) in Botswana has said the publication on The Government Gazette of the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2024, No. 4 of 2024 has taken them by surprise. This they say is as in the recent past the Evangelical Fellowship of Botswana (EFB), of which AFM are members, issued a press statement on the Bill that was to be tabled before Parliament.

The church is of the view that the amendment of the Constitution is a weighty matter that requires thorough discussions by the citizens, particularly in this instance as it is the first comprehensive constitutional review since independence. “Only after a national consensus on the content and context of the issues canvassed can a draft text of the law be made. Batswana gave general views on their aspirations, ideals and values. As the AFM Botswana, a church comprising 104 branches countrywide and membership in the thousands, we express our grave concerns regarding the tabling and ultimate debate by Parliament of these proposed amendments without the benefit of the people’s engagement and contribution. These provisions portend grave threat for our Christian way of life, our democracy and indeed our Republic as we have known it over the many decades,” reads a statement by Pastor Abraham Kedisang, the AFM-Botswana general secretary.

Amongst their concerns are the following:

“The disturbing provision in the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2024, No. 4 of 2024, which threatens to destroy the cardinal structure of family life at the heart of Batswana’s cherished Christian way of life, through the bringing of “Inter-sex” legal provision that seeks to change the binary male and female structure of our society established and enacted by the Almighty God in His Holy Statutes in Genesis 1:27,” they stated.

They also stated that they oppose the provision which proposes to vest in the President, powers to bring to Parliament 10 Specially Elected Members of Parliament. The church is also against the provision which proposes to vest in the President, powers to appoint 10 additional members to Ntlo ya Dikgosi.

They are also against a provision which proposes to vest in the President “unfettered powers” to appoint Judges to the courts of law.

“We have not restricted our rejection to the above provisions only but the entire Bill. The above only highlights the magnitude of the serious implications of the proposed Bill. These provisions are without precedence in our Republic. It is our opinion that these proposals would further weaken the Legislature, one of the three arms of government, which is already disadvantaged by its lower numbers of ordinary Members of Parliament compared to the number of members of the Cabinet.

“We therefore demand for the withdrawal of the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2024, No. 4 of 2024,” they stated.

The church argues that Batswana have not been taken on board regarding these proposals stating that the Constitution amendment cannot be hurried. They further stated that they note that government had been selective in the drawing up of the White Paper No.1 of 2023 and the choice of provisions for inclusion in the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2024, No. 4 of 2024.

“We strongly propose that a fresh national debate on specifics regarding amendments to the Constitution be first undertaken to build a national consensus.

We support the position espoused by the EFB and rally our members and Batswana not to accept the proposed Bill. “Furthermore, we here{by} pronounce that we shall mobilise our membership against any candidate contesting for the eminent 2024 General Election who does not publicly disassociate themselves with the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2024, No. 4 of 2024,” they added.

The church further stated that they shall pledge their vote to those candidates who support the rejection of the Bill.

The object of the said Bill as read by Minister for Presidential Affairs, Kabo Morwaeng, last week is to amend the Constitution of the Republic of Botswana following the approval by government of the recommendations of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the Review of the Constitution of Botswana as agreed to and varied by Government White Paper No. 1 of 2023. The Bill has been referred to Ntlo Ya Dikgosi before the Second Reading.