Africa-Press – Botswana. At its recent congress in Palapye, the Botswana National Front (BNF) demanded a total reset of the constitutional reform process and urged a more inclusive and transparent approach that reflects the voices and will of the broader nation.
The Botswana National Front (BNF) has called for a complete overhaul of the country’s constitutional reform process and proposed a structured and inclusive approach that ensures national participation and legitimacy.
The call was made during the BNF National Congress held from 20 to 22 July 2025 at the Botswana University of Science and Technology (BUIST) in Palapye.
According to a detailed report presented to the congress by then BNF Secretary General, Ketlhalefile Motshegwa, the party believes the past government’s attempts at constitutional review failed due to lack of transparency, genuine commitment and adherence to proper legal and procedural frameworks.
Last attempt “a lost project”
“Constitutional review became a lost project as nothing tangible came out and the exercise did not follow appropriate processes and procedures,” the report concluded.
The BNF, through the report, recommended constitutional reform governed by an Act of Parliament that provides clear legal authority and guidelines for the process.
Features of the proposed institutional setup include a Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) to spearhead the process, Constituency Forums to ensure grassroots input, a National Constitutional Conference involving diverse stakeholders, Oversight by Parliament, and a final referendum to allow citizens to approve the proposed constitution.
People-driven
The report emphasised that the review must be people-driven, with ample civic education, consultations, transparency, and inclusivity throughout. The final draft must be subjected to a referendum, which the BNF insists should be issue-based and not politically manipulated.
“There must be political will to carry out a genuine constitutional review process. Government must be sincere and honest,” the report stressed and went to criticise what it described as collapse of democratic institutions under an increasingly centralised executive authority.
“Democratic institutions collapsed at the heavy hand of presidentialism,” it said, implying that current governance structures are eroding the checks and balances that are essential for democracy.
Foreign economic dominance
Beyond constitutional matters, the report reiterated the commitment of the BNF, together with the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), to establish a democratic developmental state aimed at reversing foreign economic dominance and promoting local empowerment.
“The economy is in the hands of foreigners,” it stated frankly. “A developmental state will focus on rapid industrialisation, production, economic diversification, and citizen economic empowerment.”
Drawing on international best practices, the report envisions a government that actively shapes economic policy, using state influence to reduce poverty and expand opportunities for Batswana.
Trend of indiscipline
Having set an ambitious national agenda, the report also sounded a warning about internal challenges within the party. “There is an unfolding disturbing trend of indiscipline in the party, something which has the potential to bring the party into a state of anarchy, chaos, and instability,” it noted.
The report urged for order and discipline to maintain organisational unity and cohesion, which it said are essential for sustaining party growth, attracting stakeholders, and winning public confidence.
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