Kgosi Puso challenges leaders to

The annual Tlokweng budget review has been described as democracy in action and a clear example of putting people at the centre of transformation. In its second year running, the budget review, a brainchild of Tlokweng Member of Parliament Mr Phenyo Segokgo, has entrenching itself as a key platform through which the national budget is dissected for better understanding by residents of the village. Speaking at the review held in Tlokweng recently, Kgosi Puso of Batlokwa called for local leaders to be at the forefront of driving transformation, saying such action would see Tlokweng transform into a smart model village that was not only inclusive but one that also created opportunities for present and future generations.

Quoting Jon Schubert’s remarks at the 2019 World Governments Summit, Kgosi Puso emphasised that leaders of transformation must ‘live and breathe the journey,’ spending time face-to-face with communities both to inspire and listen. He praised Mr Segokgo for spearheading the budget review, and observed how his routine engagements with residents through various platforms strengthened bonds between the village’s leadership and the community. He also encouraged residents to own the national budget as it spoke to the aspirations of the nation.

“The budget is not just figures and numbers, it is an expression of values, priorities, and aspirations. It is a seed planted by government, and we as residents are the soil in which it grows,” he said. He further urged residents to take responsibility for bringing about sustainable developments to the village and also highlighted the role of the bogosi institution in guaranteeing the welfare and prosperity of all.

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Despite limited farming land, he stressed that agriculture remained possible in Tlokweng through technology and innovation. Calling food security a national priority, he warned that reliance on diamonds had proven unsustainable. Giving a background of the Tlokweng budget review, Mr Segokgo explained that it was introduced to simplify the complexities of the national budget speech, which was often laden with technical jargon.

In simplifying the national budget speech, he said the focus was on identifying as well as creating new opportunities that Tlokweng residents could tap into. Minister for State President, Defence and Security, Mr Moeti Mohwasa echoed similar sentiments, stressing that the budget reflected everyday realities such as job availability, road conditions and household livelihoods. Mr Mohwasa noted that as Botswana faced tighter finances, declining diamond revenues and global uncertainty, transformation built on productivity, innovation and private enterprise could turn the tide for the country’s economy and future.

“Fiscal discipline is not about cutting hope but about protecting the future. Every Pula mismanaged is a lost opportunity,” he cautioned.

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