27 Feb 2025

Botswana is becoming a safer, secure and more politically stable nation under the leadership of Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) government, Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Gaborone South MP, Mr Nelson Ramaotwana has said.
Debating the budget speech in Parliament on Wednesday, he said both President Advocate Duma Boko’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) and Vice President, Finance Minister Mr Ndaba Gaolathe’s budget speech spoke of unity and diversity as well as building a harmonious nation.
He said unlike in the recent past where former presidents Lt Gen Ian Khama and Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi were at loggerheads, former presidents were now in a more stable environment to enjoy their civil liberties under a UDC government.
Mr Ramaotwana said by investing in improving instruments of governance, including building oversight institutions and procurement processes, increasing transparency in governance and a human rights approach were accentuated in both the SONA and budget.’
He said UDC government was not averse to criticism, but to the contrary believed in free speech and constructive criticism, as well as a free and independent press.
But he expressed the view that it was disingenuous to compare the situation the UDC government inherited with that of the previous two BDP administrations.
Mr Ramaotwana noted that the global financial crisis of 2008 and the COVID-19 pandemic experienced in 2020-22 found the country with far more financial resources in the Government Investment Account and foreign exchange reserves than is the case at present.
With billions in reserves the past two administrations where in a better position to mitigate the circumstances, Mr Ramaotwana said, but the UDC, government had been honest in admitting to the country’s economic situation and would work on solutions.
He said given the availability of resources over time, government would implement developmental changes that would radically transform socio-economic conditions of Batswana, including universal access to health, education and housing, starting with the construction of 100 000 housing units.
On issues affecting Gaborone South constituency, Mr Ramaotwana called for the maintenance of junior secondary schools such as Bokamoso and Nanogang, as well as the refurbishment of the Extension 2 and Old Naledi clinics to include security cameras to protect health personnel from similar crime which occurred in the past.
He said storm water drainage systems and potholes on the roads in the capital had been a challenge he experienced and attempted to address two decades ago during his tenure as a mayor and councillor at the Gaborone City Council, and expressed hope a permanent solution could be found.
The MP further said the Urban Police Station staff housing at New Canada in Gaborone South were in a dilapidated state as they were constructed decades ago, and said funds permitting this would be addressed in due time. ENDS