24 Feb 2026

Member of Parliament for  Thamaga/Kumakwane, Mr Palelo Motaosane has called on government to halt the multimillion-pula Constitutional Court establishment, arguing that the funds are better spent on refurbishing the decaying colonial-era schools and addressing persistent drug shortages in the health sector.

Debating the 2026/27 budget on Monday, Mr Motaosane argued that the Ministry of Health should receive a larger share of the budget. He noted that despite reports of improvement, medication shortages continued to plague the country.

To address that, he called on government to source medications from India, which he said was a more affordable option compared to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). 

Regarding social welfare, the MP expressed concern that the new Ikageng Public Works Programme might absorb fewer participants following the increase of monthly allowances to P2,500.

Contributing to the debate, MP for Charleshill, Mr Motsamai Motsamai, advocated for affirmative action regarding social protection benefits, arguing that residents in rural areas faced higher costs of living than those in urban centres, making the current P600 monthly allowance insufficient for daily needs. 

He further urged government to come up with strategies to assist the informal sector saying they played an important role in the economy.

While he welcomed the transition of temporary teachers and special constables into permanent and pensionable positions, Mr Motsamai was however concerned about sending underperforming public officers to rural areas. 

He stated that such a practice disadvantaged remote communities. On the drug crisis, Mr Motsamai called for thorough investigation into how illegal substances entered the country and who was behind the syndicates. 

Nonetheless, he lauded the progress at the Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) and the establishment of the Meat Regulator, noting that farmers had long been disadvantaged by the previous system.

 For her part, Kgatleng West MP Dr Unity Dow criticised the new administration for blaming the opposition for lack of solutions, particularly regarding the failed promise of creating 500,000 jobs. 

Dr Dow emphasised that the public’s primary needs were plots, jobs and infrastructure, rather than a Constitutional Court. She reiterated that the P275 million earmarked for the court be redirected toward more pressing sectors. 

“People in the country want plots and Bonno does not offer solutions and neither do they need Constitutional Court to solve their problems,” she said. 

Additionally, she noted that centralisation of Government Purchase Orders (GPOs) had failed to resolve payment delays, with many local suppliers still owed.

She called for restoration of trust in the intelligence sector and oversight institutions, stating that public confidence in such bodies had eroded. BOPA