Vice President Urges Policy Execution to Drive Economic Transformation

Vice President Urges Policy Execution to Drive Economic Transformation. Acting President, Mr. Ndaba Nkosinathi Gaolathe, has called for a shift from policy formulation to policy execution, stressing that Botswana’s economic transformation depends on delivery-driven governance. Speaking during kgotla meetings in Mmopane and Metsimotlhabe, he said that while the nation is recognized globally for producing sound policies, weak implementation continues to stall progress.

“When it comes to drafting exceptional policies, we are among the best in the world. Unfortunately, we lag in implementing those policies to transform the economic standing of our people,” he remarked.

Mr. Gaolathe emphasized that the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme (BETP) is designed to drive the country toward what he described as the “True North”—a diversified, digitally enabled, export-led economy where every citizen plays a role. BETP focuses on nine priority sectors: agriculture, tourism, infrastructure, education, social protection, healthcare, energy, and mineral beneficiation.

To improve revenue collection, he revealed that government will tax remote services through income tax, ensuring foreign companies providing digital services to Batswana contribute to the national fiscus. This will require upgrades to digital platforms for smooth implementation.

Community members in Mmopane and Metsimotlhabe raised concerns including delayed land allocations by the Kweneng Land Board, rising crime, and the absence of a secondary school in Mmopane, which they said contributes to social challenges.

For entrepreneurs and businesses, Mr. Gaolathe’s message reinforced that transformation will only succeed if strong policies are matched with decisive execution and private sector collaboration.