‘Government is broke’ narrative backfires

Friday, March 21, 2025 | 2170 Views |

Wings clipped: Batswana want government officials to limit their travel in line with the revelation that the budget is weak PIC: KENNEDY RAMOKONE

Having used the phrase “government is broke” on its citizens many times in an attempt to deny them salary hikes and improved social amenities, the government now finds itself in a Catch-22. Citizens are using the same to question frequent trips and other luxuries, writes TIMOTHY LEWANIKA

Presidential diplomatic trips, international ministerial engagements, conferences, and the famous “benchmarking” trips are the recent victims of an online campaign to make sure government lives within its means. For the many online spirited citizens, it is only fair that government toes the line of its “broke narrative” more so that it understands how dire the state of the coffers is compared to the economically uninitiated Jack and Jills of society.

Government employees have not enjoyed a significant salary hike for years whilst the downtrodden members of society have been asked to depend less on social security schemes because the State says it is broke. Likewise citizens feel like the suffering should be mutual, for better or worse.

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