Leader of the Opposition, Dumelang Saleshando, has come out strongly against the Constitution (Amendment) Bill No. 14 of 2025, describing it as a “fraudulent, self-serving” piece of legislation that betrays the democratic hopes of Batswana. Speaking in the National Assembly on Thursday, the Maun North MP accused the ruling Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) of abandoning its election promises of an inclusive, transparent, and people-driven constitutional review.
Saleshando said that after the 2024 general elections, which brought the UDC into power for the first time, Batswana expected a “New Botswana” with a government that would conduct itself differently from its predecessor, the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP). One of the most anticipated reforms, he noted, was a comprehensive constitutional review to replace what he called the “aborted scam” attempted by the previous administration.
Instead, Saleshando argued, the newly tabled Bill seeks to introduce major changes to Botswana’s judicial system by establishing a dedicated Constitutional Court without engaging the public in meaningful consultation. He claimed the amendment was “smuggled” into Parliament under the cover of the UDC’s majority, and accused the government of replicating the same partisan tactics that it once condemned under the BDP.
“This Bill is not just an affront to the people of Botswana it is a brazen assault on the notion of an inclusive, participatory and transparent, people-centred review process,” Saleshando charged. “It is a partisan concoction brewed in the backrooms of party activists and their hired advisors.”
A key point of contention, according to Saleshando, is the continued dominance of the Executive in judicial appointments. He said the proposed system would allow the President to appoint judicial leaders “irrespective of merit” and based on political loyalty, undermining public trust in the judiciary.
“The courts are not personal fiefdoms,” he stressed. “Judicial leadership must never be appointed on partisan considerations but on merit, through a process that is fair, transparent, and inspires confidence.”
He urged the government to instead establish an independent Judicial Service Commission composed of legal experts, civil society, and representatives of the legal profession. This body, he said, should operate with parliamentary oversight and a merit-based selection process.
Saleshando also aligned himself with the Botswana Council of Non-Governmental Organisations (BOCONGO), which has demanded that the current Bill be withdrawn. Among BOCONGO’s proposals are a public education campaign on the Constitution, the printing of abridged versions in local languages, and the convening of an All-Party Conference to agree on a review process and timeframe.
He warned that if the UDC proceeds with the Bill, it will prove that “the BDP template has been adopted lock, stock, and barrel” and that Batswana would be left with nothing more than “a change from a Red BDP to a Blue BDP.”
Quoting a Setswana proverb, Saleshando cautioned the ruling party: “E re o bona bodiba jo bo jeleng ngwana wa ga mmaago, o bo dikologe” meaning that one should avoid repeating the mistakes of the past.
“The time for games is over. The time for democracy is now,” he concluded.
