Botswana story is my story :: Mmegi Online

At its economic peak, in the 1990s, Botswana story was glorified. We were the "shining example of democracy", the diamond sparkle - Diamonds lived forever! We were the peace-loving nation. We were the "success story" - from a poor African country with nothing but a "10-kilometre tarred road" at independence in 1966, to a rapidly developing middle income country.

By the mid-2000s, Botswana was driving towards a high middle-income economy. Our currency, pula (a symbol of who Motswana is - rain and peace), was a show of power of the purse.

Our foreign reserves were something of envy to fellow Africans most of whom were trapped in foreign debt. Global donors competed to "empower" us. HIV/AIDS was a curse and a blessing to nation Botswana. Our third president, Festus Mogae, told the world that the virus would wipe us out if we did not receive donor funding.

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