For as long as they have been in the house, MPs, dikgosi and councillors are extended the rarest privilege that less than 1 percent of Batswana enjoy – legislative immunity.
in the Westminster system – which Botswana uses, legislative immunity has two main components: freedom of speech that protects those in political leadership positions from civil action and criminal law for slander and libel and, in the case of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, absolute and unlimited power. Only the former applies in Botswana and position holders in question are Members of Parliament, members of Ntlo ya Dikgosi and members of local councils.
Being politicians and secure in the knowledge that there will be no adverse consequences, MPs and councillors have historically used this privilege to the fullest. One very good example of such exercise of this privilege was when Mahalapye West MP, David Tshere held court by spinning a quite elaborate yarn about the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) having essentially stolen P2.4 billion from state coffers to pay off its debt to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). That sum, he told parliament, was provided by former finance minister, Dr. Thapelo Matsheka, when talking about a yet undelivered medical-equipment order that had been made to China.
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