By Dr Douglas Rasbash
Africa-Press – Botswana. As Botswana turns 59, Dr Douglas Rasbash contrasts the discipline of sport with the drift of governance, warning that the nation risks jogging in circles unless it rekindles its hunger for results.
Independence anniversaries are moments of celebration, but also of reflection. As Botswana approaches its 59th year since the Union Jack came down and a new republic was born in 1966, the nation stands between pride and unease—between joy in achievement and the sting of disappointment.
On one hand, there is the unforgettable sight of the men’s 4x400m relay team seizing Olympic gold in Tokyo. Few moments in sport have so perfectly captured the spirit of a people. Their triumph was no accident but the product of relentless discipline and determination.
On the other hand, there is the image of government celebrating the donation of a container of medicines from abroad as if it were manna from heaven. For Africa’s richest diamond producer, such a spectacle carried a whiff of dependency and fragility—the mirror opposite of Tokyo, where athletes proved capable of world dominance.
THE DISCIPLINE OF SPORT VS. THE DRIFT OF GOVERNMENT
Athletics is the discipline of performance. Success is measured in fractions of seconds, every weakness addressed, every lap scrutinized. There are no excuses—only results. When the starter’s pistol fires, only performance counts.
Government, by contrast, too often runs a very different race. Its laps are slow, its times slip backward, and its focus blurs. Instead of striving for records, it appears content to manage decline. Reports pile up, committees convene, yet outcomes lag. If athletes trained as government governs, they would never qualify for the starting line.
THE PARADOX OF PLENTY
The paradox cuts deep because Botswana is not poor. Diamonds have long funded schools, roads, and hospitals. The country is hailed as a model of stability and prudent management. Yet when real tests arise—medicines, food security, energy supply—the state falters.
It is not resources that Botswana lacks, but the discipline and hunger that drive its athletes. If the sprinters had trained like ministries operate, they would never have reached the podium in Tokyo.
LESSONS FROM THE TRACK
What then can Botswana learn from its relay heroes?
Discipline matters. Athletes win not by luck but by relentless preparation. Government too must plan and deliver with intensity, shedding waste and focusing on results.
Teamwork is everything. A relay depends on smooth handovers, but government ministries often drop the baton—health separated from finance, agriculture from water, infrastructure from environment. To win, coordination must be seamless.
Hunger defines outcomes. Athletes run to win; it burns in their eyes. Government, by contrast, often behaves as if showing up is enough. But in development, showing up without urgency is the same as losing.
HOPE IN THE PEOPLE
While institutions stumble, individuals rise. Botswana’s true wealth lies not only in its minerals but in the spirit of its people. The courage that carried the baton in Tokyo also lives in entrepreneurs, teachers, farmers, and artists. Time and again, Batswana show that where government falters, they find ways to succeed.
This is the source of hope as the nation turns 59. The gold medal is a reminder that Botswana is not condemned to mediocrity. Excellence is possible—if there is discipline, unity, and hunger. The danger is not poverty of resources but poverty of will.
RUNNING THE RIGHT RACE
As Botswana marks this anniversary, celebration must be matched by commitment. The Tokyo gold medal is a metaphor for the nation’s potential. The container of donated medicines is a warning of what complacency risks creating.
Botswana must choose its race. Will it jog in place, clocking slower times each year, or will it train hard, run lean, dream big, and win on the world stage—not just in athletics, but in governance, healthcare, education, and dignity?
At 59, Botswana is not yet old, but no longer young. Diamonds cannot define the future, nor can past triumphs sustain it. What matters is the spirit of the people and the will of leaders.
If four men with a baton can bring glory, thousands of officials can surely bring medicines to hospitals. This Independence Day, let Botswana celebrate its gold, confront its failures, and commit—together—to finishing strong.
Source: Botswana Gazette
For More News And Analysis About Botswana Follow Africa-Press
