The real State of the Nation Address
Lewanika Timothy - Phatsimo Kapeng - Lesedi Mkhutshwa | Monday November 13, 2023 06:01
Francistown residents
Peter Ngoma, Former
Francistown Mayor
Since the majority of the topics were addressed at the previous SONA, the President’s speech is a reiteration of his earlier remarks. The issue with the current system is that its implementations only engage in discourse. The President will receive a 100% rating when it comes to talking, but there will be no implementation. We were all glued to our screens to learn the president’s plans about unemployment. The thing that bothers me the most about the high unemployment rate is how many recent graduates are just standing about the city doing nothing.
Khumo Rramatebele
35-year-old street vendorAs a young person without a job, I was let down by the President’s SONA. He avoided talking about important problems that concern us all, especially the younger generation. I have given up on the current administration because, when given the chance to lead, they have consistently failed to enact the changes they had promised in their manifestos. Right now, the only hope we have is a regime change. A leader who makes a statement on national television and then backtracks the next day cannot be allowed to lead. It’s time for the government to think about providing people with no jobs with an unemployment incentive of at least P500 so they may sustain themselves.
Tshimologo Oageng (57)
Riverside North residentWhen the President delivered the SONA, I was listening, but all he said was incomprehensible, general English jargon. What I wanted was that the President could have spoken to us in Setswana and let us hear what he had to say. I had thought that he would give the A3 road first priority because it has cost many lives and the government has not been able to rebuild it in the past.
Boipuso Makame (57) Ntshe residentI saw the President speak at the SONA, but I was sadly lost much of the time because he was speaking in English. The Parliament may have appointed a translator so that everyone could hear the message or the President could have translated in Setswana for everyone to comprehend. I was not happy with SONA since the President didn’t spend enough time on unemployment. It is because of this trajectory that I think the government had to implement the unemployment grant. He needed to have discussed the issues that the young and old together with health, education and agricultural sectors are confronting, as well as how they intend to overcome them, in his speech.
Gaborone residents
Wame Wamakala 21, street vendor I didn’t listen to the President because I believe he is not a truthful person. One time he says something the next he backtracks on his words. I cannot listen to that kind of person. The day he was delivering the SONA I was busy working and fending for myself because there is nothing the President can help me with.
Anonymus
As a businessman, the President offered no hope for me or my enterprise. As a restaurant owner, there is no hope offered for price disturbances that have been harming my business. As I was listening to the President, I was very disappointed because it all felt like he was talking about a different country, not the one I live in. The President left me very disappointed.
AnonymousThe fact that the President addressed the nation using the English language is a clear sign that the man himself does not consider Batswana as important. The only thing that he went to Parliament to do was to just read the long speech that does not even cater for the needs of an ordinary Motswana like me.
We wish one day this man can understand and listen to our concerns so that when he addresses the nation he knows what to say to his people.
I believe he did not address the health situation to our satisfaction because for the past few months, people have been struggling to get help from health facilities not only in Gaborone but across the whole country. I also thought he would come up with something that will convince the youth and give them hope that one day their situation of high unemployment will come to pass.
Anonymous
I believe what the President said when addressing the nation was giving hope even though it’s known by everyone that he never sticks to his word. Batswana are struggling out there but when you listen to the President’s address, one will assume that Batswana have got less problems. The level of unemployment is scaring and depressing the youth yet we see a high number of graduates from different schools every year.
We see crime together with the use of drugs escalating everyday because of the problems they face. The number of suicide cases is also spreading like veldt fires as a result of difficulties faced by our nation.
In my view, I don’t believe Batswana still have trust in our President and it’s for the simple reason that the man never delivers on his promises. Imagine how it feels to wake up in the morning hopeless while on the other hand, the government is preaching something that is totally parallel to what we are experiencing. Food prices have also gone up making the situation even worse. To me this SONA was not different from others; no implementation; no nothing.
Boago Ramaano
I have no doubt in what the President said because I believe the man has done his best so far looking at his journey since he took over. Yes, I feel that much could have been done better but what I can say Is that for me, I see a lot of progress. I identified a few policies mentioned that I believe if implemented could benefit a lot of Batswana out there. Also Batswana should not turn a blind eye to the good things that the government has been doing. I understand a lot of us are going through a lot but let’s just keep on hoping things will go our way as time goes on, there is still room for improvement.