Local leadership has been urged to hold the line as global democracies wobble, with a sharp reminder that the country’s proud reputation for clean governance is not guaranteed.
Addressing the Commonwealth Governance Forum’s Latimer House Dialogue, Speaker Dithapelo Keorapetse called on Members of Parliament and Judges to stay anchored to their constitutional duty and protect the country’s long-standing culture of peace, order, and impartial justice. He warned that the ongoing constitutional review is more than a technical exercise, it is a test of Botswana’s resolve to strengthen, not dilute, its democratic foundations.
Keorapetse noted worrying global trends: falling trust in public institutions, the persistent underrepresentation of women, and the weakening of democratic systems in many countries. Botswana, he said, must not be complacent. Parliament, he added, must act as a vigilant guardian of constitutional values, ensuring strong oversight, defending civic freedoms, and fully utilising bodies such as the Ntlo ya Dikgosi and the Public Accounts Committee.
He acknowledged that the country has long stood out as one of Africa’s cleanest and most trusted democracies, a status that has bolstered investor confidence and national pride.
Botswana’s integrity record came under further spotlight from Mogolodi Sonic Rantsetse of the Commonwealth Africa Anti-Corruption Centre. He acknowledged that the country has long stood out as one of Africa’s cleanest and most trusted democracies, a status that has bolstered investor confidence and national pride. But he cautioned that Botswana’s once-stellar Corruption Perceptions Index scores have been slipping. Though still among Sub-Saharan Africa’s top performers, the downward trend signals shifting perceptions about transparency, institutional strength, and fairness in public decision-making. Other governance assessments, including those by the African Development Bank and the IMD Competitiveness Index, echo similar concerns.
From the Commonwealth Secretariat, Elizabeth Macharia emphasised that democratic resilience has become central to the organisation’s work. She said election outcomes across the globe in recent years have raised difficult questions about the state of democracy and the rule of law, but Botswana continues to stand out for its calm transitions and deliberate leadership.
Macharia added that when the Speaker and the Chief Justice asked the Commonwealth to support capacity-building efforts in Botswana, the organisation immediately agreed, driven by admiration for the country’s dignified transition to its new government.
