A well learnt lesson in democracy

Mmegi Editor | Monday April 6, 2026 06:00

“Democracy is never a thing done.

Democracy is always something that a nation must be doing.”

- Archibald MacLeish

For the first time in many years, Botswana’s youth, students from every tertiary institution, youth league members from opposing political parties stood as one.

They set aside their political differences and raised their voices against public transport fare hike that was dumped on them with just one day’s notice.

Some fares went up as much 86% for combis or mini buses that was to hit the fabric of the working class and student community.

We commend every single student who marched. Equally, we commend the youth leagues for showing that some causes are bigger than party politics.

These young people did not burn tyres or break windows. They petitioned. They marched. They spoke truth to power. That is how democracy should function.

And to its credit, this government listened. Swiftly. Within hours, the Ministry of Transport reversed the hikes. Commuter fares were immediately lowered to P10 for a shared taxi, P9 for a combi following pressure from the students.

The Minister of Higher Education also raised the tertiary living allowance from P1,900 to P2,200. That is not the full P2,500 that was promised, but it is a meaningful step.

We commend the government for acting timeously. That shows leadership willing to hear the people. However, none of this should have happened this way.

An 86% fare increase announced the day before implementation is not governance. It is an ambush. It causes panic, financial strain and deep resentment amongst the very young people who swept this government into power.

Haphazard announcements and empty promises have left the students tired. So our message to the government is clear. You have done well to reverse course. But do not wait for students to occupy the streets before doing the right thing. Always engage stakeholders properly.

Talk to student representatives, transport operators and ordinary commuters before making life-altering decisions. Communicate changes in a timely manner, not the night before. And ensure that every allowance promised actually lands in bank accounts, not just in press releases.

The youth of Botswana have shown remarkable unity and courage. They have proved that peaceful protest works. Now it is time for the government to prove it has truly learnt the lesson. Consult, communicate, and deliver. That is the least the young people who voted for change deserve.