23 Feb 2026

As Members of Parliament continue to debate the finance minister’s fiscal plan, intense discussions over broader social and economic issues have become the order of the day. 

While legislators on the ruling side argued for a balanced approach to restoring fiscal stability while maintaining social support, those in the opposition rejected the budget over concerns regarding government spending priorities.

Contributing to the debate  on  Thursday, MP for Molepolole South, Mr Shima Monageng, stated that despite challenging fiscal constraints, government had soldiered on to keep the country running.  Mr Monageng said the finance minister, Mr Ndaba Gaolathe, was guided by clear purpose to stabilise the country during a moment of uncertainty.

He commended government for several planned projects under the twelfth National Development Plan (NDP 12), which included the Molepolole bypass road and a new bus rank, refurbishment of the Molepolole College of Education, stormwater drainage systems as well as the Molepolole-Lesilakgokong and Kotolaname road networks.

He emphasised that the networks were vital for linking villages and requested further improvements to internal roads and a cyclic maintenance plan for government infrastructure. Regarding economic diversification, he suggested that sectors like tourism be further exploited.

He also cautioned that social ills and moral decay were often rooted in soaring unemployment, suggesting the creative arts be capacitated to address these issues.

MP for Maun West, Mr Caterpillar Hikuama, argued that a budget should be a political action plan rooted in a party manifesto. Mr Hikuama also argued that the 2026/27 budget should present concrete pronouncements rather than political rhetoric.

He disapproved the budget for lacking a clear purpose, citing lack of timelines and commitments for implementation. He further argued that government had failed to apprise Batswana of past promises and that priorities remained misplaced.

“There is no clear plan of what government intends to do in education,” said Mr Hikuama.

He warned that the education sector would continue to face crises regarding dilapidated infrastructure and resource shortages, noting the budget increase was only 1.3 per cent. He called for an infrastructure emergency fund and educational reforms to align skills with market needs.

Shashe West MP, Mr Jeremiah Frenzel, called for the inclusion of phane processing in the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme (BETP) projects and the introduction of toll gates.

Mr Frenzel suggested benchmarking against Zimbabwe, where toll gates were introduced even without high-end infrastructure. He also advocated for the ease of doing business in rural areas, which he described as the breadbasket of the economy. 

He complained that the red tape hindered small business growth and expressed concern that projects earmarked for Development Manager (DM) model in his constituency might be delayed. He further called for an increased education budget and noted that the Tonota-Mabesekwa road required constant maintenance due to its current inaccessibility.

Mahalapye East MP, Mr Augustine Nyatanga, stated that BETP and NDP 12 brought hope to ordinary citizens. Mr Nyatanga described the budget theme: A New Era of Transformation and Fiscal Prudence, as thoughtful, given the difficult fiscal position inherited from the previous administration.

He lamented the levels of unemployment but assured Batswana that government was working to create opportunities. He called for the full exploitation of manufacturing and agro-tourism, saying “we are over-regulating ourselves and Batswana are not benefiting from the natural resources the country is endowed with, such as phane.”

Ghanzi legislator, Mr Noah Salakae, rallied behind the four strategic pillars of the budget, which included private sector-led growth, modernising and transforming infrastructure, strengthening skills development and accelerating innovation and digital transformation.

Mr Salakae noted improvements in the supply of medicinal stores and supported the introduction of toll gates and digitalised revenue collection. He also supported the envisaged tax reform bills.

For his part, Goodhope/Mmathethe legislator, Dr Edwin Dikoloti described the budget as a hopeful vision of resilience.  Dr Dikoloti welcomed planned road networks, particularly the Mmathethe-Bray-Werda Road, which he said would assist the farming community in transporting produce. 

He also urged leaders to lead the fight against Foot and Mouth Disease and called for a new police station in his constituency to curb cross-border crime as well as refurbishment of infrastructure in government institutions in his entire constituency, especially education facilities. BOPA