27 Mar 2023

Minister of Defence and Security has highlighted the need to ensure public safety in the country which he says remains key in efforts to promote economic recovery.

Defence and security minister, Mr Kagiso Mmusi said it was on such backdrop that the ministry would continue to enhance police visibility and crime investigation through implementation of the existing crime management strategies.

Mr Mmusi said this when he presented the ministry’s 2023/2024 budget proposals in Parliament recently.

“The nature of police work will be proactively adopted to benefit from best community engagement practices and advances in technology,” he said.

As such, Mr Mmusi requested Parliament to approve over P9.8 billion under the recurrent budget and over P1.8 billion under the development budget for the next financial year.

Under the recurrent budget, he said over P5.7 billion would be allocated for the Botswana Police Defense Force (BDF) expenditure to cover personnel emoluments and other operational expenses, including costs associated with operations for the Botswana contingent engaged in the SADC Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM).

He indicated that over P3.1 billion would be allocated to the Botswana Police Service (BPS) to cover, among others, personnel emoluments and other operational expenses.

He added that in order to improve effectiveness of crime prevention efforts during the next financial year, the BPS would develop capacity on Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Technology (UAVs), cyber security and intelligence management.

Such projects, he said would go a long way in complementing the safer city programme and social media outreach efforts.

“The unique and complex environment in policing urban areas challenges the police service to continually explore alternative strategies in order to suppress criminality hence Gaborone and Francistown in particular require the establishment of a unit dedicated to city policing,” he said.

He added that the proposed city policing unit would require additional manpower and other resources in order to ensure that the cities were safe and secure as there were interventions to improve police visibility in the streets and reduce crime.

The minister said that government remained committed to the urgent need to safeguard territorial integrity in Botswana as well as maintain peace and security in the Southern African region.

Further, he said that the nature of international conflict demanded that a nation’s defence system had to preserve a state of latent capacity that served as adequate deterrence and also be able to perform its duties when required.

To address the diverse security challenges, including emerging global threats, Mr Mmusi said the BDF had to maintain latent capacity through required significant military capabilities, specifically to be upheld at the highest operational readiness in infrastructure developments, updated or modernised defence and communication equipment.

“Despite this challenge, there are notable achievements in this financial year. 

The BDF capability during that period was strengthened by procuring air defence equipment and successfully refurbishing and reliving both the ground and air mobility equipment,” he said. ENDS