Director of Governance in the Office of the President, Lucas Modimana, says the frustration amongst citizens over unemployment, rising living costs and challenges in the public health system is understandable. However, he maintains that the reforms currently being implemented are laying the foundation for sustainable economic recovery. Modimana said patience should not be mistaken for passivity, arguing that the country's renewal requires time for changes to take root. “Two years into a new chapter, the frustration on our streets is real. But the foundations being laid now are what tomorrow’s jobs, lower prices and better clinics will stand on,” he told Mmegi in an interview on Tuesday.
Furthermore, he argued that the new administration led by President Duma Boko inherited an economy and public institutions weakened by years of structural challenges when it assumed office in November 2024. Also, Modimana said, Botswana's heavy dependence on diamonds had left the economy vulnerable to fluctuations in global demand. The precious stone accounts for approximately a third of government’s revenue and three-quarters of the country's foreign earnings. Consequently, the collapse in global diamond demand pushed Botswana into its first consecutive annual recessions, with economic output contracting in both 2024 and 2025. Moreover, the country's financial buffers had been significantly depleted, leaving government with limited resources to cushion the economic shock. The Government Investment Account, which stood at a peak of P37.2 billion in 2014, had dwindled to P2.91 billion by November 2025. Meanwhile, he said the health sector is also facing deep-rooted operational challenges.
