Following remarks by President Duma Boko on Tuesday (November 12, 2024) urging his first batch of cabinet not to fail, Botswana Congress Party (BCP) president Dumelang Saleshando has delivered a similar challenge, advising the ruling Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) to fulfill their campaign promises to Batswana.
Among UDC’s ambitious campaign pledges are a P4000 minimum wage for the formal sector, an increase in old age pension to P1800, higher student living allowances at P2500 while also creating 400 000 job opportunities and building 100 000 houses.
Speaking at a post-election press briefing on Wednesday in Gaborone, Saleshando made it clear that the opposition would be holding the UDC to its word.
“Our message to President Boko is that you dare not fail. All parties when they created their manifestos were fully aware of the state of our economy. Therefore, since Batswana have given us a clear mandate of being the main opposition we will be putting a hawk’s eye on the ruling party,” said Saleshando.
Having targeted at least 31 constituencies during the elections, BCP fell short by 16, therefore winning only 15 parliamentary seats and 123 council seats, an achievement which the party has ever reached in its years of existence.
In 2019, the party managed to clinch 11 MP seats and 65 council seats though it was under the UDC banner at the time.
“We accept the task that Batswana have given us. Of late there have been talks that it is too early to criticise, but I have seen this before when Ian Khama, Mokgweetsi Masisi came in as new leaders in government when people wanted us to no criticise or give them a grace period. The same thing is happening with President Boko but democracy doesn’t work like that because when you don’t play your role of opposing you are preparing a ground for dictatorship,” explained Saleshando adding that they will use their numbers to their advantage.
“We will use our numbers to present laws which the UDC supported before when they were still in opposition, and we expect those laws to pass. Why should those in parliament be extended a holiday? We should be surprised that we don’t have a full cabinet now with 12 ministers not announced. So, for now it is only one person (President Boko) who is in control for those ministries which are yet to be filled and it’s worrisome because it has never happened,” said Saleshando adding that despite being an opposition party they will fully support UDC when they deliver on its pledges which can change the lives of Batswana.
Despite being in opposition, BCP has a major control in six administrative districts in Okavango where they won 15 seats out of 18, Maun where they clinched 20 of 26 seats while in Selibe Phikwe they won 11 out of 14.
In Ramotswa, the party won 11 of the 16 council seats while in Bobirwa and Tutume it secured 10 out of 18 and 12 out of 24 seats respectively.
“We are expecting to lead in those areas, and we are hoping that the UDC won’t adopt the undemocratic way of nominating specially elected councillors to boost their numbers like the Botswana Democratic Party used to do. Further, we will be announcing a shadow cabinet operating as an alternative to the UDC. We are even likely to make amendments to the ministries announced by the ruling party and this will allow us to have focused debates and to establish the similarities and differences between us and the ruling party. Our members will respond to the State of Nation Address based on portfolios they have been assigned to,” highlighted Saleshando.
