Masisi’s challenging moment
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Sunday November 5, 2023 06:00
SONA is an action sheet for government delivery on a yearly basis. However, this year’s will be an assessment of progress or lack thereof since the last elections. What most Batswana would want to hear is how well the economy has been under Masisi’s administration and if they can continue to drive it forward. Youth unemployment, lack of service delivery, the collapse of the public health system, falling standards of the education system and recession are some of the issues that the nation wants to hear how Masisi intends to address in the coming year. While some may be very critical of the SONA and many presidential addresses before, in the majority, it may be argued that many ordinary Batswana have little interest in what is contained in the address, as they are oblivious of governance issues. University of Botswana (UB) political lecturer Batlang Seabo told Mmegi that what Batswana want to hear now, is the issues of youth unemployment rate on how it would be solved, and job creation. "People want solutions to their problems or measures taken to solve those existing problems.”
Seabo also said one of the burning issues that people talk about most is the ailing and deteriorating health sector and Batswana want to know measures that are taken to address the crisis. He said Batswana want assurance from the President that the current situations in clinics and hospital, which include a shortage of medicines, will be solved quickly. The political analyst also emphasised that the President should address the nation on the Constitutional Review recommendations and implementation of the reforms. He said this is an opportunity to explain to Batswana about some recommendations, their meaning and when the changes will effect. Seabo further said it is important for the President to talk about the achievements of his government in the last four years, failures and future prospects. Another political analyst, Lesole Machacha, believes that this year’s SONA will have many answers to people’s questions and also more promises will be made by the government. “We are left with 10 months or so towards elections, the President will talk about projects that are going to happen and those that had been unfinished will be done.
The ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) is smart when it comes to elections time. The government will look for money to make new projects and finish the ones that have not been completed. By so doing, more jobs will be created through such projects. This usually happens during the year of election time,” Machacha said. He said a lot of things would be done differently by the government next year because the ruling party wants Batswana to keep voting for them. He, however, said the government always ensures that even service delivery gets improved in different departments and ministries also assesses its programmes to see if it is beneficial to Batswana or not. Machacha said the President’s kgotla meetings also help him to know the issues that worry Batswana and during his address, he then addresses them.
The political analyst also revealed that kgotla meetings help the President to know what his key voters want and how he could appease them before elections. Machacha said during an election year, the government ensures that they deliver some of their main promises to Batswana because of the election pressure. He said even the budget during election year becomes different compared to other years. Machacha pointed out that the President will make sure that his address impresses people and it attracts even those who did not believe in him to start having confidence in the government.
He said this address gives the President the time to speak to Batswana about the state of the country and what he believes he could do to improve the economy of the country. He added: “Batswana are good listeners and will tell them his achievements, challenges and some of the difficulties he encounters. This is the best time for him to sell himself.” Another political analyst, Shirley Monyatsi, said she expects the President to consider how he is going to take the country forward in terms of the economy looking at the high living expenses. “It is time he explains how multi-bilateralism, which he has been advised to do, is benefiting the country and when those investors are going to start to invest in the country to boost our economy. Again, if Botswana is already benefiting from bilateralism. He needs to say so to us and even state those areas. Life expenditure is high in the country and this is the time in which Batswana want answers on how the government will assist in reducing the high expenditure,” Monyatsi said. She said that another issue that the President needs to explain to Batswana relates to the mindset change and what he exactly means by that. She said the programme is not well explained to Batswana and he must tell them how it could benefit them. Monyatsi said the President must address Batswana on issues affecting them and what the government is doing to address certain challenges.
On the issue of agriculture, Monyatsi said: “On crop production, we are seeing Batswana crying because of buying vegetables and fruits of low quality. Only commercial farmers benefit after banning some vegetables and fruits from being bought outside the country. Those farmers do not want to improve the quality of their products and their prices are high. Another issue is that they do not even sell their products to small businesspeople who operate tax shops. This makes rich people to be richer and poor people to be poorer.” She said the President and his Cabinet must start to regulate prices especially when it comes to food and uniforms.
She said the President must tell the nation how he is going to help them on issues of fuel prices, which are going up every month. She feels Batswana would be interested to know how the government will address unemployment and others.