A year of power, pressure and public scrutiny. Inside: the laws that reshaped policy, the courts under strain, a government finding its footing, and the moments that defined Botswana’s most consequential political transition in decades.
GAZETTE REPORTER
The year 2025 proved to be a litmus test for the new Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) government, a party faced with mounting expectations and debt.
Having swept into power on a wave of popular expectation, the UDC spent much of the year navigating policy missteps, internal coordination challenges and an unforgiving economic environment that exposed the gap between campaign promises and the complexities of statecraft.
From the outset, the new administration inherited a fragile economy marked by shrinking revenues, a tight credit market and rising public debt. Ministers repeatedly cited constrained fiscal space as a major obstacle to fulfilling ambitious pledges on job creation, public sector reform and social welfare. While government maintained that tough decisions were unavoidable, critics argued that the UDC had underestimated the depth of the economic crisis it would face in office.
Early policy announcements were often followed by clarifications, fuelling perceptions of uncertainty at the centre of government.
COMMUNICATIONS GAP
Observers say the party’s biggest undoing has been a lack of a coherent communications strategy, coupled with emerging cracks within the coalition. To date, the party does not appear to have a well-coordinated responsive team outside Parliament, leaving the media and ordinary citizens with limited avenues to engage or seek redress.
This gap has fueled perceptions of detachment and unresponsiveness, further complicating the UDC’s efforts to maintain public confidence amid rising scrutiny, according to experts.
LABOUR RELATIONS
Labour relations emerged as another flashpoint. Trade unions accused the new administration of retreating from pre-election commitments to protect workers’ rights, particularly amid wage restraint and delayed negotiations. Veteran union leaders publicly criticised the tone and substance of some official pronouncements, warning that the government risked alienating the very constituencies that propelled it into power.
CRACKS WITHIN THE UDC
Within the UDC coalition itself, signs of strain became increasingly apparent as the year progressed. Disagreements over policy priorities and appointments occasionally spilled into the public domain, raising questions about cohesion within the alliance. Although senior leaders dismissed talk of serious rifts, analysts noted that managing a diverse coalition while running a government presented a far greater challenge than campaigning as a united front.
The administration also faced sustained scrutiny over governance and accountability. Civil society organisations and opposition parties pressed for greater transparency in decision-making, particularly on appointments and major policy shifts. Some controversial decisions or lack thereof sparked public debate and protests, underscoring the heightened expectations placed on a government that had promised a decisive break from the past.
TRANSITIONAL YEAR
Despite the turbulence, government officials insisted that 2025 was always going to be a transitional year. They argued that institutional reforms take time and that laying the groundwork for longer-term stability required patience from the public. Supporters of the UDC echoed this view, urging critics to judge the administration over a full electoral term rather than its first year in office.
BOKO PLEADS FOR PATIENCE
In his defence, President Duma Boko has asked for three years to transform the country into a “spectacular” nation, leaving the nation to ponder whether hope or frustration will define the next chapter of UDC rule.
UNREALISTIC PROMISES
Many of the party’s high-profile pledges remain unfulfilled, with leaders citing the ongoing financial challenges as a major stumbling block.
However, critics argue that the government sold voters unrealistic dreams in its manifesto and must account.
THE YEAR AHEAD
As 2026 approaches, the pressure on the UDC is expected to intensify. Time and excuses are running out, and the electorate will be watching closely to see whether the government can turn its promises into tangible results.
As Botswana closed the chapter on a politically charged year, one lesson stood out clearly: winning power and wielding it are vastly different tasks. For the UDC, 2025 was a year of hard lessons, testing moments and recalibration, a steep learning curve that will shape how the coalition governs in the years ahead.