10 Nov 2025

The President, Advocate Duma Boko says the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) government has delivered on key electoral promises in its first year in office against the backdrop of an ailing fiscus.

Delivering the State-of-the-Nation address on November 10, President Boko said his administration had made a conscious choice to significantly increase social spending, betting on the improved welfare of its citizens to drive national progress.

He said the achievements ranged from unprecedented financial relief for household such as a 50 per cent amnesty on water bills to transformative measures for the vulnerable, including a 68 per cent hike in old-age pensions and a staggering 533 per cent increase in Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and brigades students allowances.

President Boko indicated that beyond social welfare, government had laid the foundational stones for long-term reform, initiating the creation of a Constitutional Court as a precursor to a comprehensive national review and establishing a Sovereign Wealth Fund for strategic global investment.

Other landmark achievements included cutting electricity and water tariffs by 30 per cent and make them affordable for every home.

“We have delivered the 30 per cent reduction in water tariffs and extended a 50 per cent amnesty on outstanding bills for all households. This means the UDC government forwent monies owed to government by the people so that the people have less financial burden, meaning government took some of its people’s burdens on its own shoulders despite already having an ailing fiscus,” he said.

He added that his administration had also increased old age pension from the then P830 to P1 800 despite the economic hardships.

“This means the UDC government, in the face of an ailing fiscus, increased its social spending on a vulnerable and marginalised group of elderly individuals, to make their burdens that much lighter,” he added.

Again, he said they had also increased, during the economic hardship, living allowances for the TVET students from P300 to P1 900.

“We intend to spend more on our people, we have more needs from our people that necessitate it. We have absolutely no qualms of conscience about increasing expenditure for the improved welfare of our people,” he said.

The President further said government had also delivered visible progress on the constitutional review, having gazetted the Constitutional Amendment Bill, which sought to establish a Constitutional Court.

“The Bill is ready for debate in the current session of Parliament, which will pave way for a nationwide referendum on the review of the constitution. Consultations are expected to commence in 2026. We follow the model set by South Africa whereby the establishment of a Constitutional Court preceded the Constitutional Review such that, thereafter, there is a forum, specially designated to test the rigors of the new Constitution before ratifying it into law. We reaffirm our fidelity to the promise of a comprehensive constitutional review,” he added.

The President also indicated that a Sovereign Wealth Fund, which aimed to accelerate Botswana’s strategic investments across the global economy and ensure wealth, not just for future generations, but even for current generations, had commenced work.

On one hand, President Boko said they had promised to pay a living wage of P4 000, adding not only had the private sector continued to overwhelmingly embrace such a development, government had also reached a historic milestone wherein an agreement was reached between government and seven Public Sector Unions to pay the living wage effective July 2025.

He further indicated that they were faced with a situation of critical shortage of medicine,   and government through the efforts of friendly nations and international partners, acted swiftly and managed to purchase and obtain donations of medicines worth over P500 million.

“Under pressure of an acute shortage, we could not fully exact the levels of saving we otherwise would have if we were procuring under more hospitable circumstances. The systemic challenges of the current value chain of providing medicines have been entrenched for decades and we are dealing with them boldly to uproot their inefficiencies as quickly as possible,” he said.

Nonetheless, President Boko said such accomplishments were just the beginning and government would continue to do more in the next year.

“However, in the face of real economic challenges that our country faces, these accomplishments must not be downplayed. Let us continue to be a nation that possesses the grace of gratitude for what we have achieved under the circumstances, but without losing hope for better achievements,” he said. ENDS