01 Apr 2025

Government has extended implementation of the Transitional National Development Plan (TNDP) until October in order to pave way for the National Development Plan (NDP) 12 that should align with the cycle of Parliament.

Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) strategist, Dr Patrick Molutsi informed Kgatleng District councillors recently stating that ideally, NDP 12 should start April 1, but the decision to postpone its implementation until October was meant to align it with the ruling party’s plan and manifesto. The UDC, he said would reveal its strategic plan in October, a time when NDP 12 would commence.

“In a nutshell, we are continuing to implement some of Botswana Democratic Party’s projects under the TNDP, but only those that are good, some we have discontinued,” he said.

Dr Molutsi presented six pillars that councillors and public officers should familiarise themselves with, such as improving democracy, governance and security, provision of land, sustainable environment and affordable housing for all, education, research and human resource, improving healthcare, prosperity of youth through sport and creatives as well as protected society that advocated for gender equality.

Other aspiration, he said included addressing failures of previous administration, regaining public confidence, addressing poverty and restoration of aging and deteriorated infrastructure that was recently exposed to heavy rains. Dr Molutsi said UDC pillars were also meant to address a stagnant and undiversified economy that had led to inequalities and many societal ills. He noted that the pillars would be incorporated into NDP 12 and also that the recent budget reflected the same.

Dr Molutsi called on councillors to be custodians of the pillars and UDC manifesto adding that District Development Committees should also use the pillars and manifesto in their District Development Plans to sync with the new administration aspirations.

“These are the priorities of government that should be reflected on district plans,” he said.

Another speaker, Dr Howard Sigwele said UDC had not been able to immediately deliver on some of its promises due to budgets constraints, but noted that government had made strides in some of the obligations such as increment of old age allowance from P830 to P1 400 and that allowance for maternal care would also be implemented without fail. He said economy permitting, some of the UDC elections pledges would be fulfilled such as the P4 000 minimum wage, P2 500 allowance for Ipelegeng and others. ENDS