The Trajectory of Citizen Economic Empowerment in Botswana After Fifty Years: An Endless Road of Hapless Policies

Abstract

Citizen economic empowerment is one of the most aged policies of the
Government of Botswana, as was implied in Botswana’s fi rst national economic
plan - the Transitional Plan for Social and Economic Development of 1966-
1971. Overtime, the policy developed into an intrinsic and integral economic
policy of Botswana. In 2012, the government promulgated the Citizen Economic
Empowerment Policy. Notwithstanding its old age, the policy suffers from a
long-standing failure to deliver. This paper traces the trajectory of citizen
economic empowerment in Botswana, and further identifi es challenges and
opportunities for reform and improvement. It is argued that the main problems
reside in the system of implementation, and therefore the solution to a sound
implementation of citizen economic empowerment policy can only be found in
the promulgation of a law on citizen economic empowerment with institutions
focused on delivering the policy.