FRANCISTOWN: Alliance for Progressives (AP) councillor for Ditladi ward in Tati East, Ali Maano wants the North East District Council (NEDC) to be renamed Bukalanga District Council.

Maano’s proposal will be tabled for possible endorsement at an ordinary council meeting in Masunga next week.

His suggestion comes at a time when government, through the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development is restructuring and renaming some of the councils. The process is expected to reach finality in the next financial year.

In an interview with Mmegi on Wednesday, Maano who is also former councillor for Marobela ward, shared the rationale for his proposal.

“I think the people of North East identify themselves well as people from Bukalanga than people from North East.

The district is dominated by Bakalanga. That is why I believe that adopting the name Bukalanga is very ideal. My proposal should not be perceived or viewed as tribalistic. It is nowhere near that,” he told

Maano said he has no doubt that his proposal will be widely accepted and endorsed by his colleagues in the council. He stated that many of them also want the council to be renamed.

He further highlighted that there are many people in the North East who want the area to be renamed. “We have Southern District Council, Bobirwa Sub-District Council, Tawana and Ngwato Land Boards.

These are entities that were named after their respective tribes. Bangwato, Babirwa, Bangwaketse and Batawana identify themselves with those entities better because of their respective names. That is why I do not see a reason why NEDC should not be renamed to Bukalanga District Council. It really makes sense to me and it is not tribalistic,” he explained.

Maano added that his other wish is to see the whole district being renamed Bukalanga District (changing name from North East District). He also elucidated that other key government organisations in the District should bear the name Bukalanga.

“For example, Tati Land Board is one of the bodies that I want to see changing names (to Bukalanga Land Board). People in the area will identify with it better if it is renamed to Bukalanga.

I am not in any way trying to disparage the history associated with the current name, but the renaming of the Land Board and other government entities (for identification purposes) is not an ill-advised move,” he said.

The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development recently changed some council Sub-Districts into fully-fledged districts, but some were not renamed for fear that renaming them might cause divisions.