This chapter draws on interviews with key figures in Botswana’s establishment to examine the country’s governance and security sector. It finds that Botswana’s security challenges require regional security co-operation, a reorientation of security policy towards internal threats and a consultative defence review. Botswana’s security policy and resource allocation focus on military strength, yet its key security concerns are largely internal issues that the military is not best suited to address. These issues are cross-border crime, illegal immigrants, refugees (primarily from Zimbabwe), small arms, poverty and HIV/AIDS.
Botswana’s celebrated liberal democracy has limitations. The fragmentation and impoverishment of opposition parties has made the country in effect a one-party state, with little distinction between party and government interests. High growth rates and visible ‘development’ are presided over by a structured autocracy, and the media and civil society are relatively weak.
From the mid-1990s, Botswana enjoyed relative peace, yet continues to allocate about 14 per cent of its budget to defence. However, Botswana’s defence policy is formulated ad hoc, centralised in the Office of the President, and largely responsive. This may reflect the lack of a ministry of defence.
- The constitution allows the president to deploy the Botswana Defence Force in extra duties, as national security may determine. The military is often asked to assist the police to address challenges such as poaching, border operations, and surveillance related to armed robbery and hijacking. Such operations compromise the professional integrity of career soldiers.
- The country’s security architecture is based on the Tswana tradition of ntwakgolo ke ya molomo (the best way to resolve differences is through dialogue).
- As Botswana is landlocked and shares borders with four countries, its relations with neighbouring states are very important. Its government appreciates the need to participate in regional security co-operation and to promote stability and prosperity as the basis of security.
- Botswana has created a Committee on Small Arms to consider potential problems and the transit of small arms through Botswana. However, the threat posed by small arms is considered relatively small in comparison with that faced by other countries.
Botswana is one of the few countries in Southern Africa where the issue of national security is frequently discussed, and security policy is a concern for a growing number of citizens. A consultative defence review is needed to: 1) address issues such as the army’s apparently disproportionate share of the national budget and its need for increased gender equality; and 2) facilitate greater dialogue, legitimacy, and eventual ownership of defence policy by citizens. Such a review would:
- Provide the government with a better appreciation of the nature and origins of ‘security threats’, so as to respond to them more effectively
- Streamline the operations of political instruments and other civil structures, to improve military professionalism and integrity
- Consider the defence sector in the national context and address broad public sector reforms
- Assess the size of the defence force, and its training, equipment and welfare needs
- Entail consultation, to increase understanding of how security problems affect different groups in society
- Be subject to discussion by cabinet, parliament, and the general public.
