She has been the nation’s favorite daughter since she was appointed Specially Elected Member of Parliament by former President Ian Khama in 2016, earning herself the title ‘Honourable Bae’. Bogolo Kenewendo was again celebrated on social media and across the country following her appointment as the Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry. At only 31, she remains the youngest member of the current parliament. It is no wonder, therefore, that she enjoys protection from across the parliament floor as displayed by Member of Parliament for Mogoditshane Sedirwa Kgoroba recently. Here are some of the highlights from the parliamentary exchanges:
KGOROBA: Point of procedure. Mr Speaker, ke ne ke kopa gore Honourable Olopeng a kgalemelwe, o tlaa bolaya ngwana, o sale a mo susumela …HONOURABLE MEMBERS: … (Laughter!)… SPEAKER (Kagiso Molatlhegi): Ngwana ke ofe Honourable Kgoroba? KGOROBA: O susumetse Honourable Kenewendo ka tsela e e tshosang. SPEAKER: Honourable Olopeng, ke kopa o boele mo setilong se re se go neetseng. Gatwe o elame ngwana ka kwa.
HONOURABLE MEMBERS: … (Laughter!)…
DUMA BOKO (Leader of Opposition): Point of procedure. Ke ne ke re ke tlhomamise fa, ke botse ene Mr Speaker, ka o dirisitse lefoko la go elama. Ke tlhaloganya sentle lefoko le gore le raya batho ba le mo maemong a a ntseng jang. A le siame, le tlhalosa se se neng se diragala? Ke ne ke sa leba gone, a o ne a mo elame? Ke batla go tlhaloganya.
HONOURABLE MEMBERS: … (Laughter!)… SPEAKER: Nnyaa, gatwe go susumela. O ne a mo susumetse thata.
DORCAS MAKGATO (Minister of Immigration): Point of order. Mr Speaker, thank you very much. Ke a itse gore gongwe ke dira kgang serious, e mo go ba bangwe ke dinyao. My concern is that Honourable Kenewendo e le mme, was singled out by name in the record, re bo re dirisa mafoko a gore o elangwe. Akere re ne re buela fa. Ke bona go sa ntseye sentle. Ke fa gongwe re ne re sa bue ka motho wa mme re mo ntshitse ka leina, re bo re re o elangwe ke motho wa rre. Tota fela mafoko a ga a a siama.
SPEAKER: Honourable Makgato, a o tshwenngwa ke lefoko go elangwa kana go susumelwa? MAKGATO: Ke tshwenngwa ke two things; go elangwa ga ga Kenewendo mo Palamenteng ke Rre Olopeng. Ke gone mo go ntshwenyang gone moo. SPEAKER: Re rile… MAKGATO: Go elama kana o raya koko e ntse fa godimo ga mae. Ga ke ise ke bone koko le mae fa. HONOURABLE MEMBERS: … (Murmurs)… SPEAKER: Nnyaa, ga go a nna jalo Honourable Makgato. Tota ba ne ba atamalane thata mo go neng ga tshwenya Honourable Kgoroba. A re tsweng mo kgannyeng ya go elama le go susumela. Ke rile fa e le gore lefoko la go elama ga le a siama re a le ntsha, go tlaa sala la go susumela. Le dule go setse la go susumela…
WYNTER MMOLOTSI (Francistown South MP): Mr Speaker, ka melawana ya rona e bua thata ka gore ga go ka ke ga dirisiwa maina a batho ba ba seyong fa ka gore ga ba ka ke ba ipuelela, Honourable Kenewendo is here o ka ipuelela. Jaanong ga ke itse gore a go raya gore Honourable Makgato o jalasetsa go elangwa, o batla go elangwa ene kana jang? HONOURABLE MEMBERS: … (Laughter!)…
