BCP accuses UDC of power grab, not a solution

On 25 August 2025, President Boko invoked Section 17(1) of the Constitution to declare a state of emergency, citing the need to “make decisions quickly to address the immediate medical needs of the nation.” However, according to BCP publicity and information secretary, Mpho Pheko, the declaration is “neither justified nor necessary.” She stated that the existing Public Procurement Regulations of 2023 already offer sufficient flexibility for the swift and accountable purchase of medical supplies. “The shortages in our hospitals are not the result of procurement red tape,” said Pheko. “They are the direct result of poor leadership, systemic corruption, and deliberate inaction by the UDC government.”

She noted that from as early as October 2024, it was evident that Botswana’s public health system was on the verge of collapse.