Breached promises mess up UDC government's honeymoon

A groundswell of discontent is building across Botswana’s tertiary institutions, as students prepare to take to the streets in protest over a long-promised but undelivered P2,500 living allowance.The promise, made by the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) during the 2024 general election campaign, was widely embraced by students who saw it as a lifeline amid rising urban living costs.But over a year later, frustration has replaced hope and students are no longer waiting quietly.The push for the increased allowance, which was aimed at ensuring students could pursue education without facing dire financial strain, played a significant role in galvanising the youth vote.It also gave rise to a resurgent Moono wa Baithuti movement that swept student representative elections at the University of Botswana in both 2024 and 2025, and gained major ground in other institutions such as Botswana Accountancy College and Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources.But the political honeymoon appears to be over. Plans are now underway for a national protest led by students under the banner of “Student Power.” The demonstration is scheduled to begin from the GSS Grounds and proceed to Parliament. Organisers say they aim to demand accountability from the government and clarity on the status of the P2,500 allowance. Eric Karabelo, a prominent Moono wa Baithuti member, did not mince his words. “President Duma Boko has made liars out of those who campaigned for the UDC,” Karabelo charged, lamenting the silence from government leaders after fervent campaign promises.He accused the administration of hiding behind public relations stunts and refusing to engage meaningfully with students over their growing economic concerns. He singled out the President, the Minister of Finance, and the Minister of Higher Education, criticising them for failing to address the issue in the State of the Nation Address (SONA) or provide an actionable plan.More controversially, Karabelo claimed that government operatives had infiltrated student leadership structures.“DIS informants have been planted in SRCs,” he alleged, suggesting that some student leaders are now toeing the government line instead of advocating for those who voted for them. Still, Karabelo insists that the protest movement remains strong, adding they are not going to wait for SRCs to validate them as students themselves have committed to this cause, and will march on even without their parties.Joining the chorus of protest is Loago Saleshando, another student leader helping to organise the August 8th demonstration. He says the protest will not only demand accountability but also propose a feasible way forward. Saleshando claims that government inefficiencies like the failure to collect over P765 million in property rates and P28 million in service levies are contributing to the problem.He argues that enhanced revenue collection could fund a phased allowance increase, starting from P1,900 to P2,200, at an estimated cost of P100 million. While tensions rise among students, Moono wa Baithuti has released a carefully worded statement responding to the unfolding crisis. The movement reaffirmed that the P2,500 allowance is a non-negotiable necessity, not a luxury. It expressed disappointment with the Minister of Education’s announcement that the allowance will not be implemented this financial year, but urged students not to interpret the delay as a policy reversal.“We must not let our pain be manipulated,” the statement warned, adding that misrepresenting the situation only weakens the student cause. Moono also criticised the government for failing to provide interim relief to struggling students, many of whom are skipping meals, living in overcrowded rooms, and walking long distances to campus. The statement called for targeted interventions like rental subsidies and transportation tokens while emphasising that students “cannot eat announcements.”Addressing the planned protest, the movement avoided endorsing or rejecting the demonstration outright but instead cautioned students to ensure it is grounded in purpose and not used as a tool by political opportunists.“We must rupture the system, not just trend online,” the statement concluded.The Botswana National Front Youth League (BNFYL) has also weighed in on the mounting pressure. In a bold show of solidarity, the league has declared full support for the students' cause.“Their cry is just, their demand is moral, and their struggle is righteous,” the BNFYL wrote in an official statement.However, like Moono, the youth league urged “revolutionary patience,” noting that the UDC-led government inherited a ravaged economy.Citing ideological victories such as the increment of TVET student allowances from P300 to P1,900 and the elderly pension rise from P830 to P1,400, the BNFYL positioned these policies as hallmarks of democratic socialism and proof that the government remains committed to social justice, albeit gradually.The BNFYL, too, warned of potential hijacking of student struggles by political actors seeking clout.“Let us guard against opportunists who seek to hijack student struggles for short-term political gain,” the statement urged, calling for discipline and political maturity from all parties.Botswana Congress Party’s politician Dr Mpho Pheko has raised a piercing critique of the national debate surrounding the unmet promise of a P2,500 monthly allowance for tertiary students.Pheko lamented the disturbing trend of people criticising students for demanding the P2,500 allowance promised by the UDC government, describing the disingenuousness as alarming.Pheko argued that critics lack the context and lived experience to understand the realities of many students enrolled at institutions such as the University of Botswana (UB). “UB has over 19,000 students but only about 5,000 beds.The rest are forced to find expensive accommodation nearby, she explained, contrasting this struggle with the relative ease enjoyed by students whose parents reside in Gaborone and can afford to house, feed, and fuel their children’s lifestyles.“I say this with certainty: for 17 years, I have observed the UB parking lots. I’ve seen the contrast; students with glossy lives next to those who can barely survive on the P1,900 they receive,” she added.Pheko laid out the harsh cost of living realities for students, noting that a single-room servant’s quarter in Village Ward near UB rents for around P1,500.“A reasonable meal combo costs P200. Toiletries are about P100. That’s already P1,800 before you even factor in transport, internet, school materials, and other basics,” Pheko explained.To those who continue to downplay the students’ plight, Pheko issued a challenge: “If you doubt this, study Botswana's Gini coefficient, poverty rates, income inequality, and the youth NEET (Not in Education, employment or training) statistics."She did not hold back on her criticism of the UDC leadership either, accusing them of using and abandoning students.“The truth is, students were used, promised, mobilised, and then abandoned by the UDC. Students were a means to a political end. They must reject such reckless leadership by the UDC men and women who are busy gallivanting the world and collecting per diems for their families.”Pheko explained that desperation pushes some students to turn to prostitution and asks those who cannot relate to empathise with the learners in Botswana.

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Breached promises mess up UDC government's honeymoon