From hospital stunt to impeachment threat

Member of Parliament for Tswapong South, Dr Kesitegile Gobotswang, has declared President Duma Boko a clear candidate for impeachment, citing neglect of the health system and constitutional breaches.

Although there are many reasons, Gobotswang says two stand out.

First, the President has neglected the health care system resulting in many preventable deaths and suffering of citizens.

“His declaration of the State of Public Health emergency was a public relations exercise. Even when he made the declaration he had not visited Princess Marina Hospital (PMH), a stone’s throw from

the State House.

In my view his visit to the hospital was just a political stunt, more than a year since assuming the most powerful office in the land,” Dr Gobotswang said in response to Boko’s surprise visit to Prince Marina Hospital this week.

'During his tour the President appeared to be oblivious of the fact that the situation at PMH is just the tip of an iceberg,' he said.

Secondly, the President is refusing to sign death warrants for scores of convicted murderers. By this conduct, the president is in breach of the Botswana Constitution.

“I am aware that the Nwa Metsi Brigade will complain that the impeachment motion is premature. Let us remind them from the onset that when he was the Leader of the Opposition during the 11th Parliament President Boko tabled a Motion of No Confidence against the former President Mokgweetsi Masisi just six months into his term of office.”

Boko this week paid a surprise inspection visit to Princess Marina Hospital, in a move designed to obtain an unfiltered and honest assessment of the state of operations at one of the country’s key healthcare facilities.

The unannounced visit allowed the President to witness first-hand the realities faced daily by patients and healthcare workers. What he encountered was described by sources close to the visit as deeply troubling.

'The hospital was found to be operating under severe constraints, with visibly deteriorating infrastructure, inadequate medical supplies, and a critical shortage of essential emergency and life-support equipment.

These conditions, the President noted, have directly contributed to declining service delivery, compromised patient care, and reduced public confidence in the institution,” a statement from the Office of the President said.

According to Boko’s office, the President spent time walking through several wards, interacting with medical staff, and observing patient conditions. Healthcare workers reportedly expressed frustration over their inability to provide optimal care due to lack of basic resources, despite their professional commitment and dedication.

Patients and their families, meanwhile, were reportedly seen enduring prolonged waiting times and limited access to critical medical interventions.

“Visibly affected by the situation, President Boko expressed concern over the state of the hospital, emphasising that the conditions observed were unacceptable and inconsistent with the standards of care that citizens deserve.

He stressed that healthcare facilities must be spaces of dignity, safety, and healing—not environments that further endanger vulnerable patients.”

He made a firm commitment that Marina Princess Hospital will undergo a comprehensive transformation this year to modernise the facility into a state-of-the-art hospital, equipped with modern technology, adequate staffing, and reliable medical supplies to meet both national and international healthcare standards.

“This situation cannot be allowed to persist,” Boko reportedly stated, underscoring that the government will not normalise neglect within the healthcare system. He reaffirmed his administration’s dedication to restoring credibility, efficiency, and trust in public health institutions.