By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) President Julius Malema addressed the Botswana National Front (BNF) National Conference in Jwaneng, Botswana on Sunday, 19 July 2026.
The BNF, a key member of the ruling Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) coalition, has convened delegates to review progress, debate socio-economic policies, and initiate a constitutional reform process.
Malema’s presence is particularly significant given that he was barred from entering Botswana for more than a decade.
The former administration under Ian Khama declared him a security risk in 2011 after he branded the government a “puppet regime.” That ban was lifted under Boko’s leadership, paving the way for Malema’s return.
In his address to delegates carried a strong anti-imperialist message, urging Botswana to emulate Burkina Faso’s revolutionary leader Ibrahim Traoré by expelling foreign troops and military bases to safeguard African sovereignty.
Malema told President Duma Boko that Botswana’s new government must pursue a complete overhaul of the system.
He claimed the planes were used in conflicts in Palestine and to oppress Cuba, calling them “stained with the blood of innocent people.”
Malema also declared that the United States has never been, and will never be, a friend of Botswana.
He said change must benefit ordinary people, arguing that those responsible for past injustices should not emerge without consequences while citizens gain nothing.
“The new government, we must see a complete overhaul of the system. It cannot be those who oppress lose nothing and the people gain nothing,” Malema said.
Boko used the platform to deliver a sobering assessment of Botswana’s domestic state, declaring that the economy inherited from the previous regime was on the “brink of liquidation”.
He credited the persistence and unity of BNF members for achieving political change and called for renewed commitment to national recovery.
Boko said, “We came to heal and restore. We have set out to construct new opportunities for Batswana.” He said the government’s focus is on restoring hope, rebuilding the economy and creating opportunities for citizens.
Botswana’s economy is projected to grow this year after two successive years of contraction, but debt is expected to rise beyond the government’s statutory ceiling because of another large budget deficit.
The Southern African country’s economy, long viewed as an African success story, has been hit hard by a prolonged downturn in the global diamond market, driven by economic uncertainty and the rising popularity of lab-grown stones.
Diamonds typically account for about one-third of Botswana’s national revenue and three-quarters of its foreign exchange earnings.
The debt-to-GDP ratio is estimated to reach 38.77% of GDP by March 2026 and 44.66% of GDP by March 2027, breaching the statutory debt ceiling currently set at 40% of GDP.