A website that enables Botswana citizens to engage with parliamentarians is set to be promoted across the country.

Dubbed the ‘Botswana Speaks Parliamentary Initiative’, members of the team running the website are going on tour in August to show citizens in various areas about how to use the online tool.

The website has features such as ‘U-Speak’, which enables constituents to register on the website and share an issue, an opinion or request information from constituencies’ members of parliament.

Towns in Botswana where residents have already learnt how to use the tool include Nata, Gweta and Sowa.

And the Botswana Speaks team says it plans to continue what it calls an ‘awareness, training, and testing tour’ in weeks to come.

However, Botswana Speaks says this is not the first time the project has embarked on a road trip. The team conducted visits in February 2013 to present the project to the local authorities and in April 2013 for the launch of the piloting phase of the project.

“All Batswana citizens can participate in these debates by using computers, laptops and smartphones to connect to the Botswana Speaks website,” says Botswana Speaks in a press statement.

“Their inputs will be shared with the members of parliament,” says the initiative.