23 Feb 2025

President  Advocate Duma Boko has expressed his heartfelt gratitude towards those who had gone out of their way to help others, as well as to the armed forces for their exceptional service during the recent flood.

In a televised message through Botswana Television on Saturday,  President Boko said the nation was reeling from  the aftermath of heavy rains, which had resulted in the loss of eight lives, including three children.

He provided an overview of the flood situation, which he said  had affected a total of 2 994 people, 705 of whom were children, while 1 749 people had been evacuated to safety.

Despite the destruction caused by the heavy rains, President Boko noted a nuanced perspective.

“The rains have brought a duality of emotions; there is joy as we receive much-needed water in our semi-arid, landlocked country, which is often at risk of drought. However, there is also reason to mourn,” he said. He emphasised that the nation must not blame the rains, instead, he said Batswana should acknowledge the  importance of rain.

The President called on citizens to unite as ‘brothers and sisters, as family and friends’ to extend love and assistance to those affected. 

Furthermore, President Boko assured the nation that the government would take immediate steps to mitigate further losses and would subsequently develop long-term strategies to better prepare for such natural disasters. 

“We must relook at our infrastructure planning to ensure that our national systems can withstand both droughts and flood,” he stated.

President Boko reframed the current challenges not as a curse but as a vital lesson for   his administration.

“Together we continue to chart a new course for Botswana. I am thankful to the Almighty for giving us this early lesson in our tenure. The work entrusted to us as a people is mighty, but we are determined to face any challenge. We are calm, focused, and patiently attending to all matters, great and small,” he said. ENDS