Upon realising that young people in his constituency are struggling with unemployment which has since been worsened by the Covid 19 pandemic, Boatile decided to open a Ward Office. The office is rented out from a Village Development Committee (VDC) house in the ward-thus bringing revenue into the VDC. It is manned by a secretary.
Services provided and accessed at the office include WI-FI for learners who want to research and also copies of application forms for various programs availed by the government.
“There are application forms for LIMID, Citizen Entrepreneurship Development Agency (CEDA), National Development Bank (NDB) and other programmes. This helps to ease accessibility of these programmes which have the potential to transform people’s lives, create employment and boost the country’s economy,” he revealed in an interview.
Furthermore, the office provides services of lending of tents used during funeral preparations. Tonota is one of the villages in the country, experiencing immense loss of human lives due to Covid 19. Funerals are held almost every other week forcing some funerals to be conducted in the middle of the week. The Covid 19 regulations/protocols of burying the deceased within three days exasperate this.
On the other hand, because of Covid 19 protocols, health facilities had to borrow tents from the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) and other forces to provide temporary shelter for health services’ beneficiaries with the view to reduce congestion. Consequently, often times when the bereaved families bounce when they try to borrow tents from BDF camps as it was done in the past, Councillor Boatile’s office comes handy with the alleviation. The tents are used freely. The tents may be borrowed for any other important gathering other than weddings. This he said is deliberate, as lending tents for celebrations would kill small business owners who run tents hire services.
This has triggered loud speculation that he is eying legislatorship of Tonota constituency. An issue he skilfully neither denies nor confirms.
“I know that there are a lot challenges facing young people. This calls for my engagement. I have to avail myself to my electorates so that I know what their needs are and how I can help. I also have to be available to explain when the promises we, as politicians made prior to elections fail to manifest; especially due to advent of Covid 19. I have to be available also; for support in case my electorates go through challenging circumstances. My electorates need to know why some developmental projects are lagging behind and I should be available to explain,” he said.
This is what he considers a challenge in his political career.
The 38-year-old Andy Lebogo Boatile Graduated with a Bachelor of Arts- Environmental Science and English from the University of Botswana and later got Certificate in Archives and Records Management from the same institution.
Other short courses he studied include anti money laundering, Banking, Human Resources and payroll.
A glimpse into his profile indicates that from 2008/9 he was a Records Officer at the Ministry of Lands. From 2010/11 he was Operations Manager at Kingdom Bank. From 2013/14 he was Marketing Manager at Khupe Group.
All along-from 2010- he had been an Entrepreneur who created 15 permanent jobs.
Politically, Cllr Boatile was born in a Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) family. He obtained a BDP membership in 2003 when he was at the University of Botswana; joining under GS26.
He is not new in leadership. Now a Deputy Chairperson of Tonota Sub district, Boatile became Vice Chair of UB Student Representative Council (SRC) from 2007/8. He also was chairperson of all Tertiary Students Committee in the same period.
In 2009/11 he was National Treasurer of the Botswana National Youth Council (BNYC). From 2012 to 2017 he was National Chairman of BDP National Youth Executive Committee and BDP Central Committee in Tonota.
In 2014 he was Nominated Councillor at Francistown where he served in various committees. He was chairperson of the Audit Committee, Vice chairperson of the Performance Monitoring committee, member of the Finance committee as well as member of the social services committee. In 2019 he won the councillorship of Tonota West ward through the BDP ticket.
Being born and raised in a BDP family, Boatile says he has chosen the party as it is the only one that is genuine. Its doctrine is about real life and it is organised.
He defines his working relationship with councillors from the opposition as good.
“When we get to the council chamber we bury our differences and work for the common good of our electorates. We lend each other equipment like public address systems and others. We are good,” he said.
Many of his ward’s projects have been choked by the Covid 19 pandemic. There is one paved road which has been suspended due to construction of a bridge at Tholodi River. He also plans to have as many roads as possible paved in his ward. There is also the issue of storm water drainage system which needs to be addressed.
When asked to respond to speculations that he is eying for higher legislatorship position, he says his focus is on the ongoing projects and paying attention to the needs of the electorate.
