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16 Apr 2023

 Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) has remained true to its promises  since the last elections, President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi has said.

“We overcame the horrendous impact of COVID-19 and catapulted ourselves to positive growth and unleashed our resolve to deliver on our promises,” he said. 

Addressing a BDP press conference in Gaborone on Thursday, Dr Masisi said the party was also healthy and stronger. 

He said part of the measure of its strength was the extent and pace at which new members were joining it.

The President said the BDP had delivered on some of its promises and was still working on others such as provision of water and roads as well as information, communication and technology through rolling out of village connectivity.

He said many people in schools, dikgotla and health facilities were using high speed internet connectivity offered for free.

“This is to enhance the quality of education and enable businesses to cut the cost of doing business and make it easier,” he added.

President Masisi said, as promised through the Reset Agenda’s third priority of digitisation, the rolling out of the high speed internet connectivity had also provided an opportunity for start-ups to begin their enterprises and people in the creative and arts space to mobilise clientele as well as advertise their events. 

To ensure delivery on the road infrastructure promise, he said more than P21 billion had been budgeted for infrastructure development during the 2023/2024 financial year, lamenting however that this was where there was the greatest lag.

“But our commitment and resolve to build the roads that we put to our people stands and we will deliver on them”.

Dr Masisi said most would be tackled during the beginning of this financial year as the budget had been approved, adding that the P21 billion was the biggest budget for infrastructure, in the history of this country.

Other notable successes, he said, was the establishment of anti-stock theft units within police stations, which he said helped fight the unprecedented assault that farmers faced. 

He said there was also progress made in the foreign relations space through commitment to make friends and have the friendships yield positive outcomes for Botswana. 

The President said there had also been improvement in broadening the use of the country’s foreign policy for economic impact and to enhance the education sector and diversify the offerings in Botswana, which spoke to the country’s commitment to the knowledge based economy. 

He expressed delight that Botswana could also stand to be counted in the innovation space, adding that this financial year’s budget spoke directly to the BDP manifesto. 

He stressed that ‘we have to hurry it up, because we are making up for the time lost to COVID-19.’

He said the BDP was also planning for the 12th National Development Plan ‘because come the end of the transitional plan, the NDP 12 must be ready’. 

“We don’t have time to waste. So, it is all systems go and the government is working very well”.

Dr Masisi said government was doing everything it could to address some of the challenges it continued to experience in the education sector in terms of attainment as well as in the health sector in the narcotics space.

Meanwhile, President Masisi also welcomed more than 500 new members who joined the BDP from the opposition, amongst them; musician, Franco Lesokwane, as well as former; Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) acting president, Ms Caroline Lesang and former; Real Alternative Party (RAP) chairperson, Mr Gaontebale Mokgosi.

Introducing the new recruits BDP’s political education and elections committee chairperson, Mr Alec Seametso, said most of the new members were youth from BPF, RAP, Botswana Congress Party, whilst some were former BDP members. ENDS