As the sun begins its slow descent on 2024, casting long shadows across Botswana’s golden savannahs, it is fitting to take a moment to reflect on a year that felt like a frantic but fascinating rollercoaster ride.
This year, Botswana found itself at the crossroads of political headwinds, economic reckoning, and social dynamism. These events painted an intriguing real-life plot as colourful as it was complex, leaving us with plenty to chew on as we usher in 2025, recharged with optimism.
Politics in Botswana this year resembled a telenovela, a riveting blend of drama, intrigue, and the occasional plot twist. The Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) continued to grapple with internal factionalism, a spectre that seemed determined to linger despite efforts at unity. At the same time, save for the Botswana Congress Party, opposition parties, while occasionally showing flashes of tension, spent much of the year working on political unity, proving that it is not true that such unity is only theoretically possible but always practically elusive.
For nearly six decades, the BDP held the reins of power with a grip as firm as the Kalahari sun’s hold on the desert. That era came to an astonishing end this year, as the nation pivoted to a new chapter by electing a coalition of former opposition parties to lead. This seismic shift, attributed to growing public disillusionment with entrenched governance maladministration and unaddressed socioeconomic disparities, marked the culmination of years of simmering dissent. For many, it was a clarion call that democracy in Botswana had matured beyond party loyalty to embrace accountability and choice.
The national mood oscillated between cautious optimism and palpable uncertainty. Those who had long yearned for change greeted the transition with jubilant anticipation, while the more conservative feared the risks inherent in a new, untested leadership, that for now could only show glitzy promises and zero track record. As the nation collectively held its breath, the words of Barack Obama found enduring resonance; "Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek." With the former opposition now charting the course, the question that loomed over Botswana was whether this new fluid dawn would usher in a brighter future or merely solidify into a new shade of the old.
Following the BDP’s close shave with political demise, in a saga that would be the envy of any screenwriter, former President Ian Khama who had been on the lam for three years returned to Botswana this year, bringing an end to his self-imposed exile, a period marked by dramatic accusations, political scattergun strikes and counterstrikes, and a fugitive-like existence that polarised national opinion. Khama’s exile, ostensibly to escape what he described as political persecution, was widely seen as an attempt to evade justice over criminal and corruption allegations. Yet his return was nothing short of melodramatic, with charges against him mysteriously dropped, raising eyebrows and reigniting debates about selective justice.
The crescendo of his homecoming was his coronation as Khama IV, a spectacle attended by the Vice President, cabinet ministers, senior government officials, as well as regional leaders, much to the chagrin of his detractors. For his supporters, it was a vindication, a moment of triumph for a leader they still regard as the custodian of Botswana’s democratic ideals, inherited from one of the founding fathers of the country, who also happens to be his father.
Critics, however, saw the event as emblematic of political theatrics, with overt undertones of privilege associated with the legacy of descent and lineage. As George Orwell once wrote, “In our age, there is no such thing as keeping out of politics. All issues are political issues.” And in Khama’s case, even his coronation became a stage where politics and tradition abruptly collided, leaving the nation a little dizzy yet undeniably captivated.
Adding to the political mix was the hinted return of Kgosi Kgafela of the Bakgatla, who fled to South Africa a dozen years ago primarily due to legal and political conflicts with the government. Ironically, these conflicts arose from his dispute with the Khama-led government over traditional leadership matters and autonomy. Together with his aides, Kgafela faced charges related to assault. Rather than suffer the dignity-impairing spectacle of appearing on the dock in court, he opted for the dignity-sustaining option of fleeing to South Africa, where he assumed leadership of the Bakgatla-ba-Kgafela community based in the North West Province. Kgafela’s possible homecoming, slated for next year, could mark a new chapter for the Bakgatla and perhaps rekindle conversations about traditional leadership in a modern democratic state, colloquies that the new administration seems to be keen to pursue.
If politics were dramatic, the economy was outright theatrical. Cash flow challenges rocked the country. Pork-barrelling projects were started only to be put on hold. Government subvention cuts had many state-owned institutions tightening their belts, none more so than universities, where debates raged over how to balance austerity with the need to deliver quality education. The exit of Masisi has intensified debates over the diamond sector, with beneficiation and value addition once again taking centre stage. However, with implementation clearly lagging rhetoric, and execution of these noble initiatives seemingly more aspirational than achievable, progress has so far been akin to teaching an adult elephant to pirouette; ambitious, commendable, but always slow-going.
And we dare not forget rising unemployment, the silent thief that continued to intrude uncountable households with even more vigour than last year, leaving many with little to nothing in their wallets, and tempers much shorter than those typically displayed by overly aggressive men with short man's syndrome. For hundreds of thousands of able-bodied compatriots who idly roamed the streets and barazas of all sorts this year, this phrase continues to resonate poignantly, “Resilience is the name of the game.”
Sports offered a rare and unifying bright spot in a year rife with challenges. Tebogo Letsile captured the nation’s imagination with his stunning performances, culminating in winning the prestigious men’s World Athlete of the Year 2024. This firmly placed Botswana on the international athletics map. However, his crowning achievement wasn’t just in medals, it was in moments. Letsile accomplished the extraordinary feat of filling the National Stadium to capacity, drawing hordes of jubilant Batswana to celebrate his Olympics triumph, in an event that, thanks to social media platforms, trended through the globe only to get the likes of Noah Lyles gasping and choking bitterly with massive bundles of unconcealed envy. The trending videos showcased unrestrained national pride, a feat so significant that in at least headcount and national unity, eclipsed the high-profile political spectacle of Duma Boko’s inauguration as president. In Letsile, Botswana has found not just a sports hero, but its unity and boundless potential on the global stage.
As the nation happily absorbed the excitement of Letsile’s phenomenal feat, another event sent ripples across the country. The death of the one and only Isaac Kgosi. Botswana’s once-invincible spy chief. Known for his larger-than-life persona and a career that seemed immune to scrutiny, Kgosi’s unexpected demise left many grappling with complex emotions. To his detractors, it was a symbolic end to an era marked by alleged abuses of power and impunity. To his supporters, it was the loss of a true patriot who selflessly expended himself in serving his nation with zeal. As Botswana laid this controversial figure to rest, we could not help but reflect on the undeniable fragility and impermanence of power and the inevitability of mortality.
In a not so surprising twist, particularly given President Boko’s assertions during this year’s presidential debate, citing fiscal challenges, the new administration rowed back on the previous administration’s decision to host the UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries, sparking debates about what this might mean for Botswana’s global reputation.
While some lauded the government’s decision as a bold and fiscally judicious move, especially since the nation had undertaken to foot part of the bill, others looked beyond the immediate quantifiable monetary losses and mourned our failure to leverage the benefits that would have arisen out of the unquantifiable long-term exposure of our country to the entire world.
One of the year’s most celebrated moves was the new administration’s decision to restore dignity to Pitseng Gaoberekwe’s family, whose relentless pursuit for justice over the past three years yielded naught, routinely denied the right to bury their father in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve by our local courts. This act of compassion, in a nation now led by a self-styled human rights lawyer, signalled heightened interest in human rights issues.
Meanwhile, closely following on the footsteps of 16 African countries, through the BotSat project, originally championed by former President Masisi and driven by BIUST, the nation continued to progress towards its goal of launching its first satellite. This ambitious venture promises to catapult the nation into the space age, with benefits ranging from improved telecommunications to enhanced climate monitoring. These timeless words of Carl Sagan, an American astronomer, "Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known," resonate deeply with this planned bold leap into the cosmos.
Restored confidence in the judiciary added a dramatic twist to the year, particularly with the saga surrounding the former Permanent Secretary to the President, Carter Morupisi. After receiving a lenient sentence from Justice Mokwadi Gabanagae in the High Court, the Court of Appeal, led by its President Tebogo Tau, working alongside Justices Baaitse Nkabinde and Lakhvinder Singh Walia, stepped in with a convincingly sterner sentence, signalling what many interpreted as a welcome renewed commitment to justice and accountability and the long overdue demise of the perceived culture of selling justice to VVIPs and highest bidders. This served as a reminder that the wheels of justice, while often slow, do turn. In this regard, Martin Luther King Jr.'s observation rings true, "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice."
As we close the book on 2024, let us embrace this aphorism, “Life, for all its challenges, is a gift worth cherishing.” The headlines for this year have proven that even amid procellous storms, we can progressively chart a course forward. This year offered lessons, victories, and moments of joy that will linger in our collective memory. For 2025, the challenge for each one us is as clear as noonday; we need to step boldly into the arena of change, with purpose and unity, to shape a nation worthy of our highest aspirations.
As Eleanor Roosevelt; wife of former US president FDR, once intoned, “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” With a little bit of forethought and courage, we can, and we will, dream fiercely, work tirelessly, and build a Botswana that is a lodestar of hope and excellence. Only if, we believe that the best is not forever elusive, but as always, lies ahead. What a year it has been, and what a legacy we have the power to shape!
