Masisi’s rainy day April Fools’ promise :: Mmegi Online

Today is April Fools’ Day. Batswana youth are still out of work and one may wonder who is fooling who. Halt! Let’s rewind a bit. Exactly four years ago today on a rainy day, a man stood in front of assembled masses in Parliament and like Spring he inspired a season of new beginnings. His name was Mokgweetsi Masisi and his inauguration came with pula (rain), a good omen. Usually with rain comes a new life, a new beginning, a new hope.

“One of my top priorities as the President of this country will be to address the problem of unemployment, especially amongst the young people who constitute the majority of our population,” the former teacher from Moshupa said. His words were echoed all over during the swearing-in ceremony. His promise was a thrill of pleasure to the ears as many witnessed it over different broadcast platforms. Masisi’s promise to address many people’s unemployment woes was indeed an uplifting and warm breeze. It was the kind of breeze that would make one want to throw open all the windows in the house.

“The young people, who make up 60% of the population of this country, are the future leaders and therefore investing in them is building the bridge to the future,” further promised Masisi as he aimed to wash away the dust from the past and prepare for a fresh start. But the dust never settled. Then came the COVID-19 pandemic.

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