We are ready to save Botswana - BCP
staff writer | Friday May 29, 2026 14:53
Motswana wetsho!
In exactly 51 days, the Botswana Congress Party will hold its Executive Leadership elections. This group of men and women will prepare the party for the 2029 general elections, when we will hopefully have a new government. The sharp contrast between the BCP leadership that will come in on July 21 and the UDC government should be anticipated. For it is coming at a time when there is absolute chaos in the governance of our country; chaos that the new leadership will be faced with the unenviable task of bringing order to post 2029 elections, when Batswana will hopefully have given power to the BCP.
Failures
The list of governance failures by the UDC reads like fiction. Sadly, it is not. It is a reality born of confusion, in which a government operates without a clear policy of its own. Where there has been an attempt at policy change or programme overhaul, it has been to shrink it. For example, SHAA became Bonno, which shrunk the number of eligible people; Ipelegeng became Ikageng, and it shrunk the number of beneficiaries, while Temo Letlotlo became Lemang Dijo. With the latter, the government reduced the number of hectares a farmer can be assisted to plough from 4 to 1. It is a policy intended to shrink!
But across the length and breadth of our country, the message is growing louder every day: the people want delivery, not empty promises! Not arrogance. The people are tired of the UDC government. They want change.
They need leadership that listens, that acts, and respects their dignity.
They can no longer condone the disrespect of UDC ministers who can go on the podium and declare that there is no health crisis when too many people are dying from lack of medicines. For we should not see the government's failure to provide medicines as a mere administrative hitch. No. It is a matter of life, dignity, and trust! When essential medicines are missing, it means prolonged illness, preventable complications, and heartbreaking loss of life.
Leadership tone and public trust
Batswana do not need leaders who dismiss these realities as the UDC government did at its weekend Selebi-Phikwe Star rally — they need empathy, honesty, and urgent action! True Leadership is not just about policy; it is about respect! When government ministers speak, their words must reflect the struggles our people live every day. Communities facing hardship do not need to be lectured or mocked from the podium as MP Phenyo Segokgo did. They need to be heard. They need action!
Economic pressures & cost of living
A government that turns a blind eye to the skyrocketing cost of food, transport, and basic necessities should no longer be trusted with the governance of the country. When thousands of graduates roam the streets without jobs, and families struggle to put food on the table, the poverty line is becomes a brutal daily reality for too many. Batswana need economic policies that translate into real jobs and real opportunities—especially for the youth! They do not need mocking. Picture this: at the same Selebi-Phikwe rally, Trade Minister Tiroyaone Ntsima told young people to go and spend money in bars, where he may be one of the owners, and another minister, Ketlhalefile Motshegwa, told them to go home and make babies. How cruel can a government become!
State-Owned Enterprises
One of the key promises of the UDC government was to rationalise state-owned enterprises (SoEs). Instead, it created several new ones. For a population of only 2.5 million, we now have well over 80 SoEs, the majority of which deliver zero value for taxpayers' money. Yet, the UDC's penchant for more similar institutions won't abate. Its push to create an unnecessary Constitutional Court is a case in point. Batswana need accountability, performance, and an end to the waste of public funds that we are witnessing!
Agriculture & livelihoods
The ongoing FMD outbreak has devastated incomes, destroyed jobs, and disrupted entire livelihoods. Too loud has been the government's silence. While farmers worry that the deputy sheriff may come knocking or that workers may strike, the government remains unconcerned. It has not only failed to contain the disease but has also failed to provide regular updates or guidance. President Boko has not even seen fit to appoint a substantive minister to confidently handle the crisis, thereby affirming his disinterest in agriculture. But our farmers cannot do it alone. They need stronger support systems, aggressive disease management, and expanded access to markets—both regionally and internationally! We would not have this crisis if these were in place and the government removed its head from the sand!
Public spending & priorities
We have talked about this before, but the government is not slowing down in its spending. We witnessed the arrival of the expensive GMC presidential fleet, which was bought after the past administration had recently purchased a fleet. We are now being told there are also a billion Pula helicopters that the government has bought. At the same time, President Boko has become a rare sight here at home, as he spends millions of Pula on international travel. We are yet to see the return on investment of these trips. However you look at it, the way the government is spending is a clear case of misplaced priorities. For when Batswana are suffering with no medicines in health facilities, crumbling infrastructure, under-resourced schools and police, a collapsing agricultural sector and dangerous roads, and many others, our public spending must be redirected to fix those first!
Governance & national dialogue
Real public consultation means listening, not dictating! When a government engages with its citizens, it should do so to build consensus, not just to persuade them that everything is fine. As a people, Batswana value transparency, inclusion, and honesty in national decision-making, and we should settle for nothing less! What the government did, trying to persuade Batswana to accept its insistence on the establishment of a ConCourt, is nothing short of an insult, and Batswana should punish the UDC for that at the 2029 polls.
BCP offers vision for change
Batswana have had enough of UDC promises. They are tired of going to the hospital and being sent back home, having not been treated. The youth's questions about the future are mounting, and mental illness is growing; farmers have no one to look to for protection. The government is on autopilot, with no clear destination!
As the BCP, we are ready to emancipate Batswana from the shackles of false promises, mockery and disregard of their welfare by the UDC government. We are committed to leading a government guided by people-centred policies and delivering real results. The coming 2029 elections present an opportunity for Batswana to rid themselves of the UDC, and we hope, vote the BCP into power. We are ready to save Botswana.