Speaking in his maiden budget speech yesterday, he said Botswana is regressing on many fronts, including health and education outcomes. “Corruption has become endemic with all its corrosive and cancerous manifestations, an impediment to the achievement of the lofty aspirations of our people,” he told Parliament. Gaolathe was quick to indicate that in recent years, there has been a surge in the misuse of public office for personal gains. “This is evident in our deteriorating scores on the Corruption Perceptions Index. The data shows that our ratings declined from a score of 6.5 in 2012 (30 out of 180 countries) to 6.1 in 2019 (34 out of 180 countries),” he revealed. “The most recent figures show a further drop and a significant decline in rankings in the space of one year, from a score of 6.0 in 2022 (35 out of 180 countries) to 5.9 in 2023 (39 out of 180 countries).”
Gaolathe, who is also the Member of Parliament for Gaborone Bonnington South, emphasised that if they fail to combine forces against this culture of corruption, they are certain to fail as a nation in the delivery of essential services that improve the quality of lives for Batswana. “Our conviction is that a corruption-free culture will save us, not a billion, but billions of pulas every year. This is why an array of efforts are already underway to review our current procurement model, enhance transparency, support free press, as well as revise and approve the Draft National Anti-Corruption Policy. “With these initiatives, we hope to protect whistle-blowers, strengthen institutions, and enhance integrity and accountability,” he added.
