Vice President, who is also Finance Minister Ndaba Gaolathe’s maiden budget speech for the financial year 2025/26 to be presented on Monday is awaited with mixed expectations from the public.
This as the budget is the first for new government, elected in October polls last year, inheriting a severely depleted public purse, and sluggish economic growth due to a slump in diamond sales among others.
There is also an interest on whether the UDC government will be able to start new development plan or differ, until the economy stabilises.
There great interest on whether the budget speech will give timelines on the implementation of the 2024 manifesto election promises among others being the P4,000 minimum wage, monthly P1,800 payments for old-age pensioners as well as the P2,500 allowance for tertiary students.
Many are also eager to see which sectors the new government will prioritize over others as compared to the previous administration. But many hopes for it to prioritize economic revival, job creation, tourism, and much-needed infrastructure development.
Local businessman, Reaboka Mbulawa emphasized the need for improved money circulation and a more inclusive economic approach. “During the last administration, money circulation appeared stagnant, circulating within a specific group rather than across the broader economy. The government must create opportunities that open up the economy and facilitate better financial movement,” he said in an interview.
Mbulawa further stressed that tackling unemployment should be a key priority, with clear, measurable goals. “The government needs to move beyond vague promises of job creation. We need concrete figures and a structured plan outlining how employment will roll out over the next five years,” he added.
He also raised concerns about the education sector, pointing out the steady decline in student performance. He is of the view that the education system has been on a downward trajectory emphasizing on a turnaround strategy urgently need to improve learning outcomes and restore quality education.
Furthermore, Mbulawa has emphasised for prioritisation of the tourism sector on issues of fund allocations. He criticised the previous government for neglecting the tourism sector despite it being the country’s second-largest GDP contributor.
“Unlike other countries such as Kenya and the Maldives, which have built sustainable economies around tourism, Botswana has not invested enough in this sector. There has been no deliberate push from the Ministry of Finance to prioritise tourism as a key revenue stream,” he argued.
He advised that targeted investments in tourism could instantly create employment and significantly boost the economy.
Meanwhile Okavango District Council (ODC) Chairperson, Gaopalelwe Ronald, urged the government to allocate more funds towards infrastructure, particularly in education and healthcare. “Infrastructure in schools across my district is in a dire state, with many classrooms having collapsed ceilings or no ceilings at all. This poses a serious safety risk to learners,” he said.
He also highlighted the severe shortage of staff housing for teachers, which he lamented is further worsened by the deteriorating condition of existing accommodations. “We need substantial funding to build and refurbish teacher staff houses. Addressing this issue will improve working conditions and enhance service delivery in the education sector,” he added.
Meanwhile, unemployed graduate Gosalamang Mosamarea is advocating for permanent employment of temporary teachers citing that it is visible that there is a need to employ them. He highlighted that with the declining performance of schools across the country the worst should be expected amid the shortage of teachers that is currently faced by schools.
He further called for a more proactive approach to addressing graduate unemployment. He emphasizes the importance of strengthening apprenticeship programs to offer young professionals practical experience and better working conditions.
He further suggests that the government should focus on key sectors such as manufacturing, technology, and sustainable agriculture to foster a more prosperous and equitable workforce. Additionally, Mosamarea is calling for a strategic reform of the country’s internship programs, particularly the current internship initiative and the Tirelo Sechaba program, which were originally designed to tackle unemployment.
