- We were decieved by past regime - President Adv Boko - Boko promises to humble himself before Batswana on the electoral promises
One of the boldest promises made by the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) in its 2024 election campaign was to raise the national minimum wage to P4 000.
It was a powerful message that resonated with multitudes of struggling Batswana, who saw the pledge as a step towards dignity, survival, and economic justice.
Now, three months into 2025, the same UDC remains silent—and public frustration is growing. Instead of legislating a new minimum wage, the UDC government has shifted to encouraging private companies to adopt it voluntarily. While this may seem like a step in the right direction, it is not what was promised.
One major retailer, Choppies, has taken the commendable initiative of implementing the P4 000 minimum wage internally.
This week President Advocate Duma Boko had to face tough questions from Members of Parliament who wanted him to address issues regarding their electoral promises especially on the minimum wage, Ipelegeng and Old Age Pension among others.
He acknowledged that the picture that was portrayed by the former government of President Mokgweetsi Masisi is different from the current status quo.
However, an economist of the Botswana Institute for Development Policy Analysis (BIDPA) explains, “Voluntary corporate compliance is no substitute for a comprehensive legal framework. A national minimum wage is a policy issue—not a corporate social responsibility effort.”
An anonymous senior official within the Ministry of Labour revealed that internal discussions around the P4 000 minimum wage have stalled due to “concerns about political backlash from business lobbies.”
“The government is caught between pleasing its voter base and avoiding friction with major employers. But that indecision is costing workers their livelihoods,” the source added.
Botswana’s current minimum wage structure, which ranges between P1 400 and P1 800 for most sectors, is woefully inadequate in the face of inflation and rising living expenses.
A 2023 report by the Botswana Federation of Trade Unions (BFTU) noted that a sustainable living wage in urban areas should not be less than P3 800–P4 500, depending on household size and rent costs.
The same report warned that “failure to revise the wage floor will deepen income inequality and drive informal sector expansion.”
Observers argue that electoral promises are not slogans for rallies; they are verbal contracts between leaders and the people. Breaking them undermines public faith in the democratic process and deepens political apathy.
A 2022 study published in the International Labour Review found that “raising the minimum wage has a positive impact on productivity, reduces employee turnover, and increases aggregate demand
through higher household consumption.”
In other words, paying people fairly not only benefits workers—it also improves the broader economy.
“The introduction of a legally mandated P4 000 minimum wage should not be an afterthought—it should be priority number one. The livelihoods of thousands depend on it. So too does the integrity of this government.
“It is time for the UDC to make good on its word, not with press statements or public relations gestures, but with legislation”, a source within the ministry of Finance, said.
President Adv. Boko said they made the election promises after being deceived by the past regime that there are funds. He said they did that using the information they had but once they got into power they realised that some crucial information had been withheld.
“This why I am not afraid to go to Batswana and face them and tell them the truth. I am not going to run away. I will tell them we were there but now we are here. If you want Batswana to disregard you is to go to them and tell them I am failing.
“This is because they are smart, they are adults, they listen and they see. All I have to do is humble myself before them,” the President said in Parliament.
It was a powerful message that resonated with multitudes of struggling Batswana, who saw the pledge as a step towards dignity, survival, and economic justice.
Now, three months into 2025, the same UDC remains silent—and public frustration is growing. Instead of legislating a new minimum wage, the UDC government has shifted to encouraging private companies to adopt it voluntarily. While this may seem like a step in the right direction, it is not what was promised.
One major retailer, Choppies, has taken the commendable initiative of implementing the P4 000 minimum wage internally.
This week President Advocate Duma Boko had to face tough questions from Members of Parliament who wanted him to address issues regarding their electoral promises especially on the minimum wage, Ipelegeng and Old Age Pension among others.
He acknowledged that the picture that was portrayed by the former government of President Mokgweetsi Masisi is different from the current status quo.
However, an economist of the Botswana Institute for Development Policy Analysis (BIDPA) explains, “Voluntary corporate compliance is no substitute for a comprehensive legal framework. A national minimum wage is a policy issue—not a corporate social responsibility effort.”
An anonymous senior official within the Ministry of Labour revealed that internal discussions around the P4 000 minimum wage have stalled due to “concerns about political backlash from business lobbies.”
“The government is caught between pleasing its voter base and avoiding friction with major employers. But that indecision is costing workers their livelihoods,” the source added.
Botswana’s current minimum wage structure, which ranges between P1 400 and P1 800 for most sectors, is woefully inadequate in the face of inflation and rising living expenses.
A 2023 report by the Botswana Federation of Trade Unions (BFTU) noted that a sustainable living wage in urban areas should not be less than P3 800–P4 500, depending on household size and rent costs.
The same report warned that “failure to revise the wage floor will deepen income inequality and drive informal sector expansion.”
Observers argue that electoral promises are not slogans for rallies; they are verbal contracts between leaders and the people. Breaking them undermines public faith in the democratic process and deepens political apathy.
A 2022 study published in the International Labour Review found that “raising the minimum wage has a positive impact on productivity, reduces employee turnover, and increases aggregate demand
through higher household consumption.”
In other words, paying people fairly not only benefits workers—it also improves the broader economy.
“The introduction of a legally mandated P4 000 minimum wage should not be an afterthought—it should be priority number one. The livelihoods of thousands depend on it. So too does the integrity of this government.
“It is time for the UDC to make good on its word, not with press statements or public relations gestures, but with legislation”, a source within the ministry of Finance, said.
President Adv. Boko said they made the election promises after being deceived by the past regime that there are funds. He said they did that using the information they had but once they got into power they realised that some crucial information had been withheld.
“This why I am not afraid to go to Batswana and face them and tell them the truth. I am not going to run away. I will tell them we were there but now we are here. If you want Batswana to disregard you is to go to them and tell them I am failing.
“This is because they are smart, they are adults, they listen and they see. All I have to do is humble myself before them,” the President said in Parliament.
