25 Feb 2025

The proposed budget is focused on protecting citizens, empowering them to play a meaningful role in building the economy.

During the budget deliberations, Mr Victor Phologolo MP for Kanye West expressed confidence that, through the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), the people would experience a new Botswana. 

“This is a budget like no other before,” he stated, urging critics of the UDC to take a step back, observe, and enjoy the journey toward a transformed nation.

Mr Phologolo acknowledged that while the budget may not be sufficient, it laid the groundwork for executing the new government mandate. He highlighted plans to improve tax collections, including the implementation of point-of-sale devices across all businesses in the country, to ensure that all eligible taxpayers contributed fairly.

Emphasising the need for progress toward cashless transactions, he stressed the importance of eliminating leakages in tax collection. 

Under the UDC administration, Mr Phologolo outlined plans to optimise the use of government assets by encouraging the sharing of limited resources among departments and ministries to foster collaboration.

The budget speech also addressed the strengthening of oversight agencies to proactively combat corruption. Mr Phologolo expressed concern over the dire financial situation inherited by the UDC and called for stringent measures to revive the struggling economy. 

He stated that the budget seeks to enhance quality of life, improve health and education, and create an investor-friendly environment.

According to the United Nations, access to potable water is a basic human right. Mr Phologolo committed to improving water services, noting that water scarcity was a significant challenge in his constituency. 

He indicated that Kanye required approximately 15 million litres, up from the current 7 million litres. 

To address this, he said, water supply would be augmented by the Masama well-field, with Phase II focusing on connecting a pipeline to the Kgwakgwe water storage tank and the village distribution network.

Additionally, Mr Phologolo emphasised the establishment of commercial courts to ensure timely completion of projects within budget, asserting that timely and quality project delivery would enhance livelihoods and stimulate essential economic activities.

Recognizing the constituency’s agricultural community, he identified improving roads to production areas as a priority project.

He also welcomed the budget’s focus on engaging brigades to maintain dilapidated government infrastructure, stating that the initiative would improve conditions and promote vocational education.

The UDC’s proposed budget, therefore, aims to lay a robust foundation for economic growth and citizen empowerment, paving the way toward a bright future for Botswana. ENDS