Botswana Speaker Hails SADC Parliament Transformation as a Milestone for Regional Democracy

The Speaker of the National Assembly of Botswana, Dithapelo Lefoko Keorapetse, has affirmed that the transformation of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Parliamentary Forum into a regional parliament will enhance citizen participation in regional governance.

Keorapetse made these remarks last Wednesday following the signing of an agreement by Botswana’s President, Duma Boko, to amend the SADC Treaty, officially recognizing the SADC Parliament as an institution of the regional bloc.

According to Keorapetse, the establishment of a regional parliament will reinforce member states’ adherence to SADC principles and election guidelines. He described Botswana’s signing as a moment of “joy, pride, and honour,” reflecting the nation’s long-standing support for the SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF) and its transformation into a regional legislative body.

He emphasized that this milestone, nearly three decades in the making, was achieved through persistent efforts to promote democracy and good governance within the region.

Tracing Botswana’s involvement with the SADC PF since its establishment in 1997, Keorapetse highlighted the importance of creating a parliamentary body that would serve as a platform for SADC citizens to contribute to regional affairs. He noted that while other African regions, including West, East, and Central Africa, had established similar institutions, Southern Africa had been slow to follow suit.

Keorapetse recalled that Botswana reaffirmed its commitment to the transformation in 2010 when its Parliament debated and passed a motion in support of establishing a SADC parliament. However, he acknowledged that the journey to last week’s signing was met with challenges.

He pointed out that multiple lobbying efforts had taken place over the years to engage Botswana’s leadership, including meetings with former Presidents Festus Mogae, Seretse Khama Ian Khama, and Mokgweetsi Masisi. The most recent lobbying mission, led by Zimbabwe’s Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Francis Nzwidamilimo Mudenda, in August 2024, was instrumental in advancing the cause.

According to Keorapetse, discussions with President Boko concluded positively, with the President providing assurance and direction that the time had come for Botswana to sign the agreement.

He described the transformation of the SADC PF into a fully-fledged regional parliament as a crucial development in deepening democracy, increasing citizen participation in regional decision-making, and promoting gender equality.

Keorapetse reiterated Botswana’s belief that this transformation represented a critical step toward strengthening democratic governance and ensuring effective regional integration and development.