Authorised old age pension expenditure for the 2024–2025 financial year (ending March) was P1,385,637,690 and it has now been increased to P3,088,156,960 in the 2025–2026 budget estimates. The P3.1 billion budgeted under the Department of Social Development now awaits Parliament approval. Senior citizens will smile after April Fool's Day. Delivering the 2025–2026 Budget Speech last week Monday, Finance Minister Ndaba Gaolathe revealed that they had searched every pocket they had and could only propose an increase to P1,400 rather than the P1,800 they had promised in the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) manifesto.
“The true measure of a society lies in how it cares for its most vulnerable members, reflecting its collective humanity and sense of justice. Whilst fiscal constraints limit substantial increases in social welfare programmes, we remain resolutely committed to inclusiveness and the well-being of our citizens,” Gaolathe said during his maiden Budget Speech.
Even though the money is P400 short of the figure the UDC had promised in the build-up to the 2024 General Election, the main opposition party, the Botswana Congress Party (BCP), indicated that it fully supports the increase in the old age pension to P1,400 per month.
The Leader of Opposition (LoO), Dumelang Saleshando, said even though the P1,400 is just a little bit shy of the P1,500 the BCP had proposed, they opine that those who can afford to fend for themselves should not be paid the P1,400. The old age pension is for Botswana citizens only who are 65 years old and above. Eligible pensioners are required to register either with the pension officers at the District Commissioners Office, Service Provider, or Headquarters (Social Protection department).
Currently, the pension allowance is P830 per month. Pensioners have a choice to access their allowance as cash from service providers in all pay points or monthly bank transfers to beneficiaries’ bank accounts. Before last week’s announcement, it was also expected that the UDC government would reduce the age for old age pension to 60 years. In the 2024 election manifesto, the coalition had also promised that the old age pension would commence at 60 years. Now, citing the unavailability of funds, the UDC has since indicated that they will assess if they can include people who are 60 years old and above in the old age pension in the future in case the financial situation improves.
