Will Batswana feel any safer with the current security budget?

In view of the current financial estimates, there is a growing concern about where this is taking us. It seems all the security apparatus have had what we may refer to as a shot in the arm. Botswana Police Service (BPS) alone has a projected budget of P400 million set aside for purposes of surveillance.

The military’s budget is even greater as they have seen a tripling from a little over P1 billion to a staggering P3.2 billion. Further details will follow on why the security organs have become so privileged so much more this year. Security organs have always been given a modest budget and this goes particularly to Botswana Defence Force (BDF) and Directorate of Intelligence Services (DIS). The police have always been given a mediocre budget and one would wonder if our parliament does understand that these men and women form our first line of defence in as far as our security is concerned.