eKgotla

The purpose of eKgotla platform is to bridge the gap within the traditional public participation processes. The concept is drawn from the Tswana traditional Kgotla, which is a medium of participation and engagement on matters of public and civic concern.
The International Budget Partnership cites Botswana to be a country that offers very little opportunity for public engagement in her decision-making processes, her rating of 15/100 with regard to public participation. Analog approaches like newspaper adverts and traditional Kgotla meetings are seemingly falling out of favor as they are not schedule-friendly, time-consuming, and prone to inexpert chairing & disturbances. Along with the advent of COVID-19, public engagement has been proving difficult largely to regulations that prohibit mass community gatherings. As such, the community participation process has to evolve and adapt.
e-Kgotla aims at digitizing & modernizing the public participation process, increasing the much-needed involvement in governance and public discourse by marginalized cohorts [women and youth].