It is not in doubt that the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) as a political party that held power in Botswana from independence in 1966 had its own shortcomings and challenges and did not perform to maximum expectation in terms of building a better country for its citizens.
It is not also in doubt that the BDP had made stringent efforts to progressively improve on the economy of the country after successive governments.These progressive efforts and their attendant results were evident in the country.
Botswanans could see these progresses by the BDP, in all the strata of the economy, ranging from the Education sectors to the Health sectors to the improved infrastructures and finally to the growth of the GDP of the country, even though the progress could be described as being slow.
Hence, it is correct to assert that governance is as easy as it is spoken about, because the taste of the pudding can only be confirmed in the eating.The then opposition political parties in Botswana formed a coalition in order to seize power from the BDP.
The opposition parties formed a coalition called the UDP. The opposition coalition’s first attempt to capture power in 2019 failed. The coalition continued to brainwash Botswanans with promises that if given the opportunity that they would make Botswana the America of Africa.
In the 2024 Presidential Elections, the opposition coalition finally won the presidential election under the political platform of UDP, with Gideon Duma Boko still serving as the president of Botswana.Now that the opposition coalitions has won election and the opportunity they had been seeking for has been given to them. It is now time to know the taste of the pudding from its eating.
Before winning the elections, the UDP as oppositions were very critical of the efforts of the former government of BDP. The UDP members called the former government of BDP thieves and brainless politicians who had no agenda, no policies or genuine programs for the people of Botswana.
I was a known and ardent member of the BDP; a grass-root mobilizer and vocal speaker who had always beckoned on my party, the BDP to do more by continuing to give priority attention to health, the education of children and the welfare of women, especially pregnant women. As a community leader, I was close to my people and I knew the yearning of the common Botswanans.
After my party, the BDP won landslide in my political constituency in the 2019 general, most of us in the then ruling party, the BDP, suddenly became targets to the opposition UDP, because I, like some others, refused to join the UDP in their hunger to take over power without any sign of proper preparation, no political experiences, no tutelage or training and no requisite economic, management and administrative knowledge.
The UDP, prior to the 2024 elections, initiated campaigns of calumny and deceits with empty and frivolous promises to the people of Botswana that if given power, that the country would be better.
Today, Botswana is experiencing the turn of events. It is not surprising to us who know that UDP has nothing to offer to the people of Botswana. Most of them are political neophytes, with no leadership experiences and have come to power to enrich themselves and leave the masses in worst economic conditions.
It is now about two years the opposition UDP has been in power in Botswana, and the people of Botswana have been in tears crying and regretting that they have gone from frying pan to fire. Salaries that are the basic form of incomes for the working class are hardly paid as at when due. There is serious hunger in the country.
The hospitals have no medications to treat the citizens, including hospitals in the city- Princess Marina Hospital in Gaborone, Nyangakwe hospital in Francistown. The worst is the Athlone mental hospital in Lobatse.
Other hospitals in Molepolole. Mochudi and Palapye the smaller villages are turning to dens of reptiles. Yet UDP is a party that promised to make Botswana better and great.
The education sector is at its worst. Current pass mark has gone down 36 per cent. But the government still deceiving its citizens that the schools are at the top, with below 50 per cent pass rate.
The UDP government is unable to deliver on its campaign promises. They are not creating the jobs they promised to the citizens during campaigns.
My job is to continue to criticize the government, expose their lies and advise them to deliver to their campaign promises.
*Michael Phiri Jawe, writes from Europe.