Opposition leader slams gov’s unfulfilled promises
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Sunday November 9, 2025 12:47
In a press briefing held at the President Hotel on Tuesday, Saleshando made it clear that the UDC, despite its lofty promises during the 2024 General Election campaign, has fallen short of expectations.
“The UDC has failed the people of Botswana,” Saleshando said, adding that, instead of ushering in a 'new Botswana,' citizens are still under the control of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP). “Batswana thought they would be governed by a new Botswana, but in reality, they remain under the same old government,” he said.
According to Saleshando, the UDC has made no significant progress in fulfilling its electoral commitments. He said key promises made by the party in its manifesto, such as creating 100,000 jobs, raising the minimum wage, and increasing tertiary education allowances by P4000, none of which have not been delivered.
“There is absolutely nothing that the UDC can show for their time in power. In fact, the situation has only worsened. Where are the promised 100,000 jobs? Where is the increase in the minimum wage? Where is the P4,000 increase in tertiary allowances? They have failed to honour the contract they made with the people,” Saleshando emphasised.
He further urged Batswana to hold the government accountable and not be intimidated into silence. “It’s time to demand accountability for these unfulfilled promises.”
The BCP president also accused the UDC of dishonesty, claiming they knowingly made misleading promises despite the country’s economic downturn.
He added, 'In 2020, the economy was already struggling, and diamond sales had been dropping since 2022. Yet, the UDC went ahead with these unrealistic promises. This is what we call obtaining by pretenses”.
'They were dishonest with the people of Botswana. It’s time for Batswana to stop being deceived and start demanding their social rights.” Beyond broken promises, Saleshando also highlighted the worsening state of the country’s public health sector under UDC leadership.
He pointed out the severe shortage of essential medicines in hospitals, including antibiotics, paracetamol, and HIV/AIDS medications.
The situation, he claimed, is dire for patients, particularly those on antiretroviral (ARV) therapy. 'For ARV patients, they are only given enough medication for seven days and are asked to return for the next batch after another week. This is unacceptable,” Saleshando stated, stressing that the UDC government’s inability to provide basic healthcare was a serious failure.
Additionally, Saleshando criticised the UDC for continuing to repeat mistakes that they once criticized the BDP for. 'It is shocking to see the UDC doing things they used to criticize the BDP for. Their actions do not align with their promises, and they’ve shown no real change in governance,' he said.
In his final point of contention, Saleshando raised concerns about the appointment of Motlatsi Molapise within the government, questioning his role and the justification for his salary despite reportedly not performing any duties. 'Motlatsi Molapise’s position in the government remains unclear, yet he continues to receive a salary while staying at home. This raises serious questions about the transparency and accountability of the UDC government,” he pointed out. As the opposition party continues to scrutinize the UDC’s actions, the pressure is mounting for the government to fulfill its promises or face increasing calls for accountability from the public.
However, for now, the question remains, will the UDC acknowledge its failures and address the growing concerns, or will they continue to ignore the voices of the very people who voted them into power.