SOLO RULE

Botswana Congress Party (BCP) president, Dumelang Saleshando, has raised serious concerns over what he described as a growing trend of solo decision-making by President Duma Boko, saying the current administration continues to bypass parliamentary oversight on key national matters.Speaking during a media briefing on Tuesday, Saleshando accused Boko of acting alone on major national issues, including the public health emergency declaration, the De Beers share acquisition, and the citizenship by investment programme. He said these actions undermine democracy and transparency.Saleshando questioned the justification behind the public health emergency declared in August, noting that parliament had been sidelined in the decision-making process.“We still face drug shortages across the country. What was the emergency for if it did not solve the problem? Why the drama?” he asked, adding that even essential medicines like ARVs and condoms remain scarce in some public facilities.On the proposed De Beers 51 percent acquisition, Saleshando warned that the government’s financial capacity does not support such an ambitious move.“We are talking about over P20 billion. Do we have that money? This is a reckless gamble. The president calls it economic sovereignty, but without a proper business case, it is simply sentiment,” he said.He argued that natural diamonds have lost market value to lab-grown alternatives, stressing that the deal must be justified economically rather than emotionally.Saleshando also criticised plans to introduce a citizenship by investment policy, describing it as “a dangerous idea that opens the country to security risks.”He warned that such a programme could enable money laundering and terrorism financing, especially given Botswana’s limited capacity for background checks.“We cannot just open the gates for anyone with money to buy citizenship. Botswana is small and could easily be squeezed out,” he cautioned.The BCP leader further questioned the recent appointment of Botswana People’s Party leader Motlatsi Molapisi to a government payroll position, presidential adviser, calling it a violation of the principle of a politically neutral public service.“You cannot hire someone politically active and pay them that much while competent Batswana with degrees remain unemployed,” he said, adding that such appointments compromise governance ethics.Turning to internal party matters, Saleshando said BCP is strengthening its presence in the southern region through its “Going South” campaign, following weaker performance in the last general election, where it won only two constituencies. He announced that the party would contest the upcoming Kgalagadi South by-election as part of that strategy.“We have identified our candidate, and it is all systems go. We will be competing everywhere between now and 2029 because we are the main opposition party,” he declared.He also revealed that the BCP had recently completed its constitutional review process held over the weekend in Francistown, which will guide preparations for the upcoming elective congress to be held in Mogoditshane later this year, with the exact date yet to be announced.Saleshando shared that the party would host a leadership retreat on November 1 to evaluate the first year of the new government. He reminded citizens that leadership change should not mean replacing one poor system with another.“Do not take out Masisi and bring Masisinyana,” he said.

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