In the speechwriters’ minds

Staff Writers | Monday November 2, 2026 06:00

Each time the political atmosphere was pregnant with hope for a change of government, a disaster would strike, fragmenting, in the process, the opposition parties into small hostile camps. For almost six decades victory had become a moving target for the opposition while the overconfident Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) slowly but surely rested on its laurels. Little did it occur to anyone that a political rapture was in the offing. The 2024 General Election shook the world. The BDP’s 58-year-old grip on State power brutally and abruptly came to an end and a red carpet was rolled for the new sheriff in town - the coalition government of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC). With a sigh of relief the UDC overcame the curse of losing elections and got the mandate to preside over the affairs of the nation. As soon as the euphoria of winning the elections waned, the UDC experienced a rude awakening as the task of translating lofty and extravagant electoral promises into action did not take off as speedily and seamlessly as desired.

November 2026 marks the UDC’s second anniversary at the helm of the nation and the nation is awaiting with bated breath for the fulfillment of promises made. It would appear things could get worse before getting better. The spirit of despondency is creeping in, putting into question the UDC’s claim it is what the doctor has prescribed for Botswana. Now, the spirit of euphoria that greeted the arrival of the UDC is wearing off. The country’s battered economy cannot create jobs for all those seeking employment, the volatility of the diamond market, soaring fuel prices, the Foot and Mouth Disease that stubbornly refuses to go away and corruption have become serious areas of concern. Things appear to be falling apart with so many dreams unfulfilled or deferred. The UDC reputation is at stake. President Duma Boko and his UDC government are on the firing line. The nation expects nothing short of delivery. Under the circumstances, the UDC should go back to the drawing board to get its priorities right. Failure cannot be an option as an overwhelming number of people do not expect the UDC to fall short of the standard it has set for itself. As the President takes the floor in November 2026 in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) the nation will be pregnant with hope again.

Batswana will be hoping that the President has yet another opportunity to redeem himself and more importantly, to galvanise the whole machinery of government towards the road to economic recovery and prosperity. Also the nation are hoping the SONA will ease the worries of the naysayers and doubters while also strengthening the faith of the converted disciples. What would it take for Boko to win back the lost trust and confidence of the doubting Thomases who could genuinely harbour the suspicion that the UDC did not prepare itself adequately to govern and that power was perhaps thrust upon it by some stroke of luck or the invisible benevolent hand of God? SONA presents a watershed moment for the President to sink or steer the UDC ship to safety. What character and tone should the presidential speech assume? This is a question that is on the lips of both UDC disciples and detractors.

The presidential SONA should be an improved version of speeches that preceded it. Presidential speech writers should by now be conscious of the potency or otherwise of previous presidential offerings. In the past, commentators and detractors contemptuously dismissed presidential speeches as a cut and paste exercise. This should be avoided at all costs. Learning lessons from previous offerings helps to add new insights and issues addressing pressing concerns. It is hoped that speech writers would do justice by closing gaps identified. A presidential speech is more than the words. It is also about the manner of presentation- the presidential demeanour. This is a very sensitive and difficult area to delve into. But presidential speech writers should pluck the courage to discuss frankly with their political principal. Demeanour, non-verbal language can ruin the day especially when one is trying to win the trust and confidence of the audience. Honesty and sincerity can be read from the presidential demeanour.

The presidential speech should be characterised in the main by sincerity and honesty. There should be no sugar coating of the issues that worry and bedevil the nation. Stating the problem as honestly as possible and coaching it in clear and precise terms is a plus. Honesty is a potent weapon that diffuses boiling political temperatures.

Against all odds, the President continues to declare and decree that Botswana will be spectacularly different. Is this prophetic or something based on evidence. To continue to make lofty promises when the diamond industry has not fully recovered is to subject his government to enormous pressure. Adopting a policy of practical realism is not a sign of weakness, but acceptance of the harsh realities of our times.

Presidential writers should be mindful of the fact that a presidential speech is essentially about what the nation as a collective can do and not necessarily what one or two powerful men and women in government can do. There should be little room for self-praise because the challenges confronting the nation are beyond the powers of any individual. They challenge our resolve as a collective. The presidential speech should reflect a strategic shift from what the government can do to what we the people can do. Perhaps, the presidential writers should draw lessons, inspiration and wisdom from historical precedents. Drawing from history, speech writers could for example make the President see issues wearing the lens of Prime Minister Winston Churchill when he had to face a deeply anxious nation in a time of crisis. This was in 1940 when the island of Britain was on the brink of defeat at the hands of Nazi Germany. Churchill said on June 4, 1940: “We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, and we shall never surrender.”

Realising that Britain confronted an almost insurmountable enemy beyond the individual prowess Churchill used his poetic language to rally the nation because of the cause of prioritising its sovereignty. Churchill demonstrated political shrewdness by choosing to shift attention away from the prime minister to place all faith in the resolve and tenacity of the British people as a collective. This approach was a master stroke which endeared him to the people while making the nation realise that no enemy can withstand the resolve and collective will of a nation that believed in its capacity to defend its territorial integrity. It would be suicidal for the presidential speech at time when there are more questions than answers to try and skirt the problem(s) at hand. Brutal honesty has a way of disarming a highly charged political environment. Giving people extra- extraordinary role in the problem solving process is a mark of humility on the part of the president while also placing faith in the power of collective wisdom. The presidential should never create an impression that the government is the main character while relegating the people to minor or spectators’ role. It is worthwhile for presidential speech writers to have a glance at another powerful orator, Martin Luther king jnr. King also cleverly downplayed the role of an individual in the liberation process, electing instead to elevate the power of the people.

Albeit, playing a prominent role in mobilisation of the people against racial discrimination, King detaches himself from the scene, relegating himself to a minor actor. He said in April 1968 “I have been to the mountain top, I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land”. Speeches which are crafted in a manner that makes the President look like the only mover and shaker of things runs the risk of rendering the President susceptible to criticism and condemnation when things go off the rails. The President is also a creature of flesh and blood and should not by design be accorded the attributes of super human being. Lastly, presidential speech writers can draw inspiration from the demeanour and words of president George Bush during the September 9, 2001 attack on American soil. Responding to the attacks at the world Trade centre, Bush said:

“These acts shatter steel but they cannot deny the steel of the American resolve. Once again the president demonstrated big picture thinking by placing the destiny of America in its moment of weakness in the power and efficacy of the American indefatigable resolve. It is hoped that the speech writers would rise to the occasion to craft the speech in a manner that can restore public trust while mobilising the nation to stand on its feet to overcome all the odds standing on our road to economic recovery and prosperity. It is important to shift from over-reliance on powerful men and women to a culture where our resolve and determination sustain our national life. In the final analysis, the SONA should be about the people who have loaned their power to the government. We the people should be the principal architects of our destiny. Speeches should be written with some sense of self-detachment.