Since April 2013, constituents from Nata/Gweta, Boteti North, Maun West and South East South have been using the Botswana Speaks platform (U-Speak) to share issues, opinions or to request information from their Members of Parliament.
Botswana Speaks gave a chance to Members of Parliament from those four constituencies to receive input and to reply directly to them via the online platform or via SMS! At the end of the pilot (March 2014) there were 830 cases on U-Speak!
A ready to use toolkit was created following the validation of the platform. It includes:
· A version of the latest software used, ready for installation.
· General documentation for the software.
· Training modules on Initiative Planning / Initiative Implementation.
· Training material on Marketing, and relevant promotional material in editable versions. 
Image courtesy of Keerati / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
This tool kit aims at interested local, regional, national African institutions that plan to initiate, implement or finance initiatives to foster participative models towards decision-making who can use it to evaluate, plan and manage those initiatives.
The link to the toolkit will be available soon.
Although the pilot phase of the initiative was originally scheduled until 10th December 2013, it has been extended until the end of February 2014. Moreover, a final workshop will be organised with eGovlab, Honourable Member of Parliament and the Team in the Parliament in Gaborone in February 2014 to gather impressions and feedback from the pilot phase, and to discuss the sustainability of the project after the pilot.
Constituents from Nata/Gweta, Boteti North, Maun West and South East South, can use U-Speak to share an issue, an opinion or request information to their Member of Parliament (MP)!
Login now and submit an issue to your MP via the online platform or via SMS and let your MP know your concerns!
If you are a citizen of another constituency, you can give your opinion on issues that concern you and legislation that is currently discussed in the Parliament.
Sign in on the Speak4yourself platform and send your input to the MPs who participate in these debates!
Caption: Kgosi Moilwa addressing his kgotla in Mogobane. Mrs Elizabeth Monare, Constiuency Officer for South East South (on the left)
The Parliament of Botswana was represented at Tshane in Kgalagadi District last month (30-31 August) for the official launch of the “Vision 2016 awareness month”. This event was an opportunity to showcase a wide range of services that Government Departments and private companies render to the community in a mission to align them and demonstrate adherence to the seven pillars of Vision 2016. Therefore, the Parliament’s stall was showcasing the Botswana Speaks, as this initiative deeply contributes in achieving the Vision pillar 5 “An Open, Democratic and Accountable Nation”.
Botswana Speaks online platform goes for a “test drive” with piloting constituencies’ citizens @ Nata/Gweta, Boteti North, Maun West, South East South behind the wheel!
The Botswana Speaks Parliamentary Initiative Team at the Parliament of Botswana kicked off a road trip earlier this week to the four piloting constituencies of the project in order to present the online platform. Throughout August the citizens of various villages will get the chance to a firsthand experience while they will be informed on how to use it by members of the team along with the assistance of Parliament IT staff.
Laptops equipped with internet modems will be provided by Parliament for public use during the Botswana Speaks tour. Following a brief presentation of the platform and with the assistance of the Parliament team, citizens will be able to use the platform and send messages to their elected representative.
Read the press releases (English and translated version):
The Botswana Speaks Team at the Parliament of Botswana is going for a trip in the four piloting constituencies of the project. Two members of the team will be going to the various constituencies (different members for each trip), together with an IT Officer who will be going to all of them.
Timeline
The team will spend 5 working days in each of the four piloting constituencies as follows:
• Nata/Gweta: from Monday 29 July to Friday 2 August
• Boteti North: from Monday 5 August to Friday 9 August
• Maun West: from Monday 12 August to Friday 16 August
• South East South: from Monday 19 August to Friday 23 August
The Parliament will bring laptops with internet modems for the public to use during the meetings. After a quick presentation of the platform, most of the time will be spent on citizens using the platform and sending their questions / concerns to their elective representative with the assistance of the team.
The agenda of the meetings that will be organised this week at Nata/Gweta is as follows:
• Tuesday 30 July : Nata, Nata Senior School, starting at 09:00
• Wednesday 31 July: Gweta, Kutlwano Junior Secondary School, starting at 09:00
• Thursday 1 August: Sowa Town, Joiba Complex, starting at 09:00
