Part 2: Introducing the National Transformation Program (NTP): A Blueprint for Progress
The UDC Government’s answer to the deep-seated challenges faced by the National Development Plan is the National Transformation Program (NTP), the overarching framework designed to deliver the shared goals and aspirations of a people, influenced not only by government, but by State Owned Enterprises and key stakeholders from the private sector. The NTP aims to inclusively innovate the economy and propel Botswana from an upper-middle-income country to a high-income nation with a core purpose of achieving “prosperity for all”.
Core Tenets of the NTP
The NTP is explicitly positioned as the comprehensive document which shall lay not only the road map, but shall be driven by key performance indicators and quantifiable progress markers to attaining economic growth and sustainability. The UDC manifesto, which the NTP operationalises, champions a “deep economy” concept. This involves aggressive annual growth targets (over 10%) for key non-diamond sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, tourism, and the creative industries. The NTP, with its focus on 8 highly impactful sectors and driving increased global competitiveness and a knowledge-based economy, directly supports this diversification agenda.
A cornerstone of the NTP is its holistic stakeholder collaboration. President Advocate Duma Gideon Boko, during his address to the State Owned Enterprise CEOs and Chairmen, emphasised the need for all voices to participate in the development of the program, as that is the strength of a coalition government. Rather than being biased to favour a select few, the coalition model promotes collaboration among all national stakeholders, be they friend or foe. This is a direct response to past fragmentation, limited coordination and public abuse and disregard of those who did not fall within the inner circles of the ruling elite. The NTP outlines specific strategic objectives across its pillars, including developing an internationally competitive workforce, a competitive education system, transforming health/wellness systems, achieving food security, fostering social inclusiveness, and instituting values and culture change. It concentrates efforts on 8 highly impactful sectors identified to drive sustainable economic development.
President Duma Boko has specifically highlighted plans to reform key State-Owned Enterprises such as Air Botswana, Botswana Meat Commission, Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board, and Botswana Railways, as well as others. When speaking, he clearly indicated that a substantial review of SoEs is underway, assessing instances of overlapping mandates, inefficiencies, inadequacies in appointed officers and other deficiencies of SoEs in order to streamline operations and ensure that each SoE is profitable on its own merit without requiring subsidies or bailouts from the Government. These reforms aim to improve services, enhance efficiency, and turn around the economy, directly addressing past governance and performance issues. Furthermore, the UDC government explicitly intends to leverage the private sector for large-scale development projects.
The very change in nomenclature from “National Development Plan” to “National Transformation Program” is indicative of a deeper philosophical shift. While NDPs often functioned as periodic, sequential blueprints that could sometimes be reactive to immediate challenges, the NTP is positioned as the comprehensive strategy reference document for delivering the Umbrella for Democratic Change’s aspirations and goals for a better, prosperous and more inclusive Botswana. This implies a higher-level, more proactive, long-term, and integrated strategic framework.
NTP vs. NDP: A Paradigm Shift in Scope and Mandate
The introduction of the National Transformation Strategy marks a fundamental departure from the traditional NDP system, promising a more dynamic, accountable, and results-driven approach to national development.
Scope and Mandate
Historically, NDPs provided broad guidance for the country’s overall development, outlining strategies and projects for a specified period. While comprehensive in their coverage of sectors, their scope often remained at a high policy level, with detailed implementation plans, specific metrics, and clear accountability mechanisms were lacking or inconsistently applied. In contrast, the NTP is designed as a comprehensive, detailed, and results-oriented strategy where the inclusion of key performance indicators, periodic reviews, officers tasked with specific roles and functions, offers more accountability and transparency. Such a detailed program will allow all to see which entities, offices, officers or other stakeholders are failing to deliver in their mandates and therefore liable to face consequences of said failure. The development of the NTP sends a clear message to all SoEs and their leaders that failure will no longer be tolerated, inefficiency will no longer be tolerated, factionism, corruption, and other deficiencies will no longer be tolerated. Those who fail in their mandate will be clearly identifiable by all. Further, the NTP sends a message to the private sector that they have as much, if not more, responsibility as the Government, in the economic development of the economy. The NTP will take into consideration the needs of the Private needs and concerns, specifically in the area of unnecessary red tape to doing business and other bureaucratic or systematic bottlenecks to innovation and development.
Accountability and Metrics
Despite attempts to introduce Results-Based Management (RBM) with NDP 10, this system was largely abandoned, leading to persistent accountability deficits. Oversight bodies like Parliament and the Auditor General faced limitations in their capacity and authority to enforce accountability for poor project implementation and financial mismanagement. A key differentiator of the NTP is its robust emphasis on measurable deliverables and accountability. President Boko announced that the NTP will provide a framework for “measurable deliverables and close monitoring of government projects,” with Batswana being able to “trace progress of the projects on a dashboard that would be in public domain”.The NTP framework itself includes “indicators that will be used to monitor the progress of implementation in every pillar of the Strategy,” with performance reporting on a semi-annual basis using National Performance Monitoring and Evaluation (NMES) tools. This direct integration KPIs, metric indicators, timelines, and public accountability mechanisms is a significant leap forward, aiming to prevent the “declining public accountability” seen previously.
By adopting a comprehensive strategic framework (NTP) that explicitly mandates coordination, transparency, and a results-based approach, the UDC government shall overcome historical hurdles of the NDP. The NTP’s commitment to continuous monitoring and evaluation, coupled with public reporting, is designed to instil discipline, ensure projects are demand-driven, and promote effective and efficient execution, thereby mitigating the risks of past failures. A critical analysis of the NDP’s shortcomings, as seen in Part 1, reveals that there was a consistent gap between policy intent and effective enforceability. The NTP directly addresses this by building in explicit, transparent, and publicly accessible mechanisms for accountability. This fundamental change aims to not only improve implementation efficiency but also to rebuild public trust and investor confidence, which were eroded by past policy reversals and accountability deficits. The transparency components are key to fostering a sense of shared ownership and accountability across the nation.
Conclusion: Charting a Course for Botswana’s Prosperity
The National Transformation Program is not merely a technical document; it is the operational arm of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) Government’s vision for Botswana. The UDC identified improving democracy and governance and addressing failures of the previous administration as key pillars for change. The NTP directly responds with explicit strategic objectives to “Enhance Accountability and Transparency” and “Transform the Public Sector,” aiming to improve government operational excellence and enhance the quality of services provided to citizens.
The transition from the National Development Plan to the National Transformation Program represents a bold and necessary evolution in Botswana’s approach to national development. It is a direct response to the persistent challenges of economic diversification, declining productivity, and deep-seated implementation bottlenecks that have hindered the country’s progress towards high-income status.
By emphasising detailed planning, robust performance metrics, public accountability through formalised private sector and SOE collaboration, and a renewed commitment to results-based management, the NTP offers a more dynamic, transparent, and ultimately, more effective framework. It is designed to foster a “New Botswana” where economic growth is inclusive, governance is strengthened, and the benefits of development reach every citizen.
