Batswana are feeling the UDC betrayal- Balopi
Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) President, Mpho Balopi, has cautioned party members not to be distracted but to focus on the bigger picture, which is the 2029 general election, as the nation gets frustrated by the new regime.
He said today many citizens feel abandoned by what increasingly appears to be an information blackout and a lack of consistent national direction.
There is growing public frustration over uncertainty, delayed responses, poor communication, and the apparent absence of a coherent recovery strategy in some sectors, he said.
The problems faced by the country are not unique, as the entire world is facing similar issues, Balopi said.
“What distinguishes governments is not whether crises emerge, but how they respond to them. Botswana has faced difficult moments before.
We have gone through droughts, global recessions, declining commodity prices, and animal disease outbreaks under successive Botswana Democratic Party administrations.
Yet throughout those difficult periods, Batswana experienced leadership that was visible, reassuring, communicative, and proactive. The people were guided. The people were informed. The people were accompanied through difficult seasons,” Balopi said when addressing a BDP Youth Pitso this past weekend.
He said that at moments such as these, citizens do not need a government that spends most of its time blaming previous administrations for present difficulties.
“Neither do they need a government that appears perpetually overwhelmed by the weight of governing. Governments are elected to solve problems,” he said.
They are elected to inspire confidence during periods of uncertainty, to provide leadership, stability, innovation, and direction even when circumstances are difficult, and solutions are not immediate.
That is the standard by which every government must ultimately be judged, he said, adding that the current situation fails to meet these expectations.
The BDP President also pointed out that leadership is tested precisely during difficult times.
“Unfortunately, many Batswana are increasingly concerned by what they perceive as a lack of strategic direction, consistency, and governing aptitude within the current government.
BDP governments did better in these respects compared to what we are witnessing today, and will definitely do better again if allowed to lead,” he told the meeting.
It is against this backdrop that Batswana now find themselves in a unique position to compare and contrast what they are experiencing with what they experienced under the BDP leadership.
That comparison, he said, is becoming increasingly unavoidable in homes, workplaces, farms, and communities across the country.
“As citizens reflect on the differences in leadership style, communication, responsiveness, and economic management, many are beginning to draw their own conclusions about which leadership model gave them greater
confidence and stability during difficult times.
Even those whom we might traditionally have considered our greatest critics, including workers’ movements and trade unions, have spoken out clearly about how the present administration is hurting their membership.”
According to Balopi, many within these organisations have openly expressed feelings of betrayal and disappointment, saying that the hopes and expectations they once held have been severely undermined.
“Ultimately, it is this lived comparison — not slogans, excuses, or political rhetoric — that will shape the political direction of Botswana as the nation moves toward the 2029 General Elections.
As the BDP, our responsibility is therefore very clear. We need to get back to our best for the sake of Botswana,” Balopi rallied the youth.