Africa-Press – Botswana. The ongoing parliamentary debate on the 2026/27 Budget has highlighted a significant shift in Botswana’s economic strategy, moving away from government-led spending toward a private-sector-led model designed to tackle youth unemployment and healthcare shortages.
Views shared by Members of Parliament (MPs) on Wednesday suggested several direct impacts on the public, including job diversification through the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme (BETP), aimed at moving the economy beyond its dependence on diamonds.
Contributing to the debate, Assistant Minister of Transport and Infrastructure and MP for Boteti East, Mr Keoagile Atamelang, stated that the 400-megawatt solar farm earmarked for Letlhakane would create substantial employment opportunities, particularly for the youth.
Mr Atamelang described the BETP as a historical toolkit, noting that the 186 identified projects would help diversify the economy. He also addressed the P1.85 billion earmarked for maintenance, arguing that the high cost was a direct result of years of neglect regarding government facilities.
However, he commended the new e-Procurement system, noting its role as a watchdog against businesses that inflated prices when bidding for government tenders.
Furthermore, he highlighted that the suspension of Government Purchase Orders (GPOs) and unnecessary workshops had already begun plugging leaks in the national treasury.
Chobe MP, Mr Simasiku Mapulanga, centered his contribution on healthcare, decrying the persistent scarcity of drugs in clinics. He called on government to prioritise primary healthcare to curb the spread of diseases.
Mr Mapulanga also lamented the shortage of doctors and called for increased medical staffing to reduce the travel burden placed on rural patients.
Regarding the creative economy, the legislator advocated for Botswana Television (Btv) to invest more in local content creators to build a sustainable creative infrastructure.
On the agricultural front, while he acknowledged the swift response by the Ministry of Lands and Agriculture to the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak in the North East, he urged government to move away from animal culling in favour of vaccination and identification of alternative red zone markets.
Assistant Minister of Trade and Entrepreneurship and MP for Serowe North, Mr Baratiwa Mathoothe, reiterated that the BETP was the primary vehicle for shifting toward a private-led economy. Mr Mathoothe commended the expansion of Botala Energy into the Serowe gas project as a win for the energy sector.
He pointed to successful citizen-owned ventures, such as a local company currently manufacturing power metres for the Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) as well as plans for a cement plant in Oodi using domestic limestone and gypsum.
He also welcomed the structural developments at the Botswana Meat Commission (BMC), noting that entity had finally been able to settle its longstanding debts with farmers.
