12 Nov 2026

Member of Parliament for Tswapong North, Mr Prince Maele, has commended government’s economic and development record, highlighting infrastructure projects, employment initiatives and reforms as evidence of the administration’s commitment to delivering on its promises. Contributing to the debate on the State-of-the-Nation Address i on Wednesday, Mr Maele said the address was “punctuated by a lot of delivery”. 

He said the country was beginning to register positive signs of economic recovery, pointing to improvements in economic indicators and measures government had introduced to stabilise the economy. 

Mr Maele said the administration inherited an economy that was close to collapse and had introduced austerity measures to reduce public expenditure and redirect resources towards priority areas. 

He said the measures had generated savings of about P2 billion, adding that government had reduced travel expenditure, among other spending cuts. 

Responding to concerns raised by Leader of Opposition, Mr Dumelang Saleshando, about how the savings were being utilised, Mr Maele said the funds had helped government meet obligations, including payments to farmers at the Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) and settling outstanding invoices owed to the Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board (BAMB). 

On the proposed increase in Botswana’s shareholding in De Beers from 15 to 30 per cent, Mr Maele said Batswana needed to understand the broader benefits of the transaction. 

He said the objective was not only to acquire additional shares but to ensure that the country benefited more from the diamond value chain through beneficiation and greater control over its natural resources. 

Mr Maele maintained that Government was on the right track in addressing corruption, citing a forensic audit covering 30 institutions between 2014 and 2024, which identified estimated losses of P33 billion. 

He said government had committed to prosecuting those responsible and was pursuing measures to ensure accountability and recover public assets. 

He said President Boko had outlined several interventions in his address, including the establishment of a Special Investigations and Asset Recovery Task Force and measures to strengthen the capacity of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions and other institutions involved in investigations and prosecutions. 

On infrastructure development, Mr Maele commended government for adding 200 megawatts of solar power to the national grid through the Mmadinare and Jwaneng solar power plants. 

He said the additional capacity had contributed to a significant reduction in electricity imports. He also highlighted interventions to address unemployment, saying 4,366 temporary employees had been absorbed into permanent employment, while special constables had also been absorbed. He said allocation of P772.4 million for urgent maintenance of six sections of the A1 highway, demonstrated government’s commitment to addressing the country’s road infrastructure challenges. 

He said feasibility studies for the Chobe-Zambezi Water Transfer Scheme and the Trans-Kalahari Railway Project had been completed, with procurement of contractors expected during the 2027/2028 financial year. 

He said the long-standing water supply challenge in Molepolole was also receiving attention through the Molepolole-Thamaga Water Network Project.

 In agriculture, Mr Maele said the Milk Valley Farm project in Lobatse would boost domestic milk production and reduce imports. 

He said the farm had 874 dairy cows as of September 2026 and was targeting an annual production of 15 million litres at full capacity, enough to meet up to 23 per cent of national demand. 

He also highlighted the introduction of National Health Insurance, maintenance works at 22 secondary schools expected to be completed by March 31, 2027, and increased student allowances and old-age pensions as measures aimed at improving social welfare. 

On land administration, he said government was introducing a Land Commission to address challenges in the sector. 

He said the country had reached a stage where the focus should be on delivery and implementation, adding that government was committed to translating its commitments into tangible improvements in people’s lives.ENDS