Botswana Parliament Holds Workshop on Oversight of Public Enterprises and Budgets

National Assembly Speaker Dithapelo Keorapetse addressed legislators at the opening of a three-day workshop on parliamentary oversight of public enterprises and budgets. He delivered the keynote address on 11 June 2026 at the opening of a three-day Parliament's Budgetary Engagement and Oversight of Public Enterprises workshop held in Gaborone.

"Democracy extends beyond elections and majority rule, requiring governments to remain accountable to citizens through their elected representatives," Keorapetse said.

Keorapetse stated that parliamentary committees are one of the most effective instruments for holding the executive and public institutions accountable for the use of public resources and the implementation of government policies. He said Botswana is balancing the benefits of past economic successes against emerging structural, social and environmental challenges.

The country's current economic difficulties present an opportunity to diversify the economy away from overreliance on diamonds, Keorapetse added.

He noted that surveys across Africa show citizens support democratic governance but remain dissatisfied with the performance of public institutions and elected leaders. "The 13th Parliament is looked upon as an institution that must help supply the democracy that citizens demand," he said.

The workshop was organised by the Botswana Parliament in partnership with the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance through the EU-funded Inter Pares programme.

It brought together legislators, experts, development partners and civil society representatives to share best practices on public finance management, accountability and governance. The programme aims to equip MPs with tools to deepen parliamentary oversight of public spending and the performance of state-owned enterprises, building on parliament's existing appropriation powers and its relationship with the Supreme Audit Institution.