"KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY MR. FESTUS G. MOGAE, AS PRESIDENT OF THE BOTSWANA DEMOCRATIC PARTY, TO THE 32nd NATIONAL CONGRESS OF THE BOTSWANA DEMOCRATIC PARTY."

Party Chairman, Your Honour the Vice President,
Lt. Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama;
Kgosi Kgari III
Members of the Central Committee;
Fratenal Guests from the sister Organisations of the:

- African National Congress of South Africa (ANC)
- Chama Cha Mapinduzi of Tanzania (CCM)
- Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD)
- Movement for Multi Party Democracy of Zambia (MDC)
- Movement for the Popular Liberation of Angola (MPLA)
- South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO) of Namibia
- Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU/PF) of Zimbabwe

Members of the Diplomatic Corps
The Chairperson of the National Women's Wing Committee, Ms Tebelelo Seretse
and Members of your Committee;
The Chairperson of the National Youth Executive Committee,
Mr. Kefentse Mzwinila and Members of your Committee;
Regional Chairpersons and Secretaries
Branch Chairpersons and Secretaries
Honourable Members of Parliament
Councillors
Delegates
Observers

Dear Democrats

WELCOME AND EXPRESSION OF APPRECIATION

1. It is my privilege and pleasure to welcome you to the 32nd National
Congress of the Botswana Democratic Party. I wish to extend special
recognition to our guests from ruling parties of our neighbour countries and
other Fraternal Parties from the SADC Region.

2. We are happy to see you here. We have a saying in setswana that "Matlo
gosha mabapi" which literally translated means when your house is on fire,
your neighbour's house is also at risk. It is important therefore, that we
should work together in peacetime to ensure, that any looming hazard finds
us prepared.

3. Batswana value your presence here and appreciate your support over the
years. The Botswana Democratic Party is priviledged to be your host.

4. I must also thank members of the Diplomatic Corps for honouring our
invitation. Please convey our gratitude to your respective governments.
Your attendance is indeed testimony to the warm and growing friendship the
BDP Government has with your Governments.

5. The National Congress of our Party comes once every two years. It is
the most important forum for the Party to take stock of itself and the state
of the nation, and determine which areas, if any, require a change of
direction. It also provides an appropriate platform for us to re-energise
and re-launch ourselves in the great task of leading our nation.

6. As the Party that has been entrusted with the baton of leadership of the
country by Batswana, whenever we meet in Congress the country holds its
breath:

* not because of fears of a dramatic change in the leadership ranks, as
happens when other parties meet;

* and not because of any anxiety about the extent to which leadership
elections would be rigged as reportedly happened recently when some other
party met not far from here;

* but because it is common knowledge, that only a BDP congress is capable of
coming up with strategies which lead to a qualitative improvement in the
lives of our people.

7. It is thus imperative that all delegates at this Congress approach our
deliberations with seriousness and contribute constructively, so that we can
emerge from here with meaningful resolutions and suggestions, on how we can
revamp our policies and structures. Tsholetsa Domkrag Tsholetsa.

TRIBUTE TO MADOMKRAG

8. MaDomkrag a a rategang, I am delighted and honoured, that I stand here
once again and this time for the last time in my capacity as President both
of the BDP, our great Party and of our Republic, to perform this pleasant
task; of officially opening our National Congress. - Tsholetsa Domkrag!

9. I do so with a sense of immense, satisfaction as I look back at what we
have achieved together, which I must hasten to say, includes the success of
our young zebras. And therefore, not surprisingly, I find myself in an
enviable and nostalgic disposition as I recall the friendships and the
inspirational camaraderie I have shared with many here and throughout our
motherland as well as in the region and beyond.

10. To reflect my satisfaction, I am tempted to quote an excerpt from
Paul's letter to Timothy in the bible where he says "I have fought the good
fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in
store for me the crown of righteousness". I look forward in the next nine
months to retirement and rest. I do so in the conviction, that I did my
best, like Frank Sinatra, I did it my way and like Tony Blair I did what I
thought was right.

11. I am further comforted by the belief, that I have led a good Party,
with the assistance of good men and women, who are positioned to take it to
greater heights. In the Botswana Democratic Party we have always operated
as a team. We do not embrace any personality cults as they do in other
parties. In the BDP, the institution is more important than the individual.

12. Batswana now know, that there is still no alternative to this Party.
It represents competence, experience and an unwavering commitment to develop
Botswana for the benefit of all Batswana. No amount of malicious propaganda
will deflect it from this noble goal.

PERFORMANCE ON OUR MANDATE

13. Director of Ceremonies, Distinguished Ladies and gentlemen, to ensure
delivery of our people's needs is no more a duty of the government than it
is yours. I wish to report that we are this far doing relatively well
despite the challenges that we face.

CITIZEN EMPOWERMENT
14. Our government has championed citizen empowerment for the past 41 years,
and we will continue enthusiastically to do so. A plethora of empowerment
schemes exist and have existed as individual projects or as sectoral
programmes in our development plans. Since they have not been isolated and
highlighted in one document, some people, including members of the BDP have
erroneously assumed that we do not have a policy on citizen empowerment.

15. The bottom line is that an enabling environment should exist, wherein
all Batswana are empowered with requisite opportunities and skills to enable
them to optimise their standard of living. Furthermore, it should be
clarified, that most proponents of a stand alone citizen economic
empowerment policy often refer to countries that have a preferential
treatment policy for a specific segment of their society.

16. In most cases the segment that is being singled out for targetted
empowerment tends to be a historically disadvantaged group, but in Botswana
our empowerment efforts should and must focus on every single Motswana and
not a specified segment of the population as we have all been previously
disadvantaged.

POVERTY

17. The BDP Governments have over the years focused aggressively n
resourcing the poor in our society. Not only has poverty dropped from 60%
in our population in 1985/86 to 28% in 2002/03; a clear indication of our
success in our poverty eradication efforts, but we have also very effective
safety nets which ensure, that not one Motswana can perish because of
hunger.

18. Our safety nets include schemes for the poor, the aged, remote area
dwellers, orphans, the disabled and war veterans. As I speak, my government
has allocated some P395m to drought relief projects for this year alone.
This will provide part time employment for some 180, 000 Batswana the
majority of whom would have depended on agriculture had the rains been good.

EMPOWERMENT IN EDUCATION AND LOCAL TRAINING PROGRAMMES

19. Education has been either heavily subsidized or totally free for all
Batswana from primary to secondary education. All deserving Batswana
continue to get substantial assistance for their education even at tertiary
level. These subsidies on education are a targeted investment by the BDP
government, intended to provide Batswana, with a springboard they could use
to empower themselves.

20. The expansion of the University of Botswana; the planned Botswana
International University of Science and Technology; and the Medical School
and Training Hospital are recent examples of projects in education aimed at
further empowering Batswana for employment and higher caliber job
creation. Recently the Ministry of Education started to sponsor students at
local private tertiary institutions for Diploma and Degree courses. Over
7000 are now so sponsored. This is empowerment.

SUBSIDISED HEALTHCARE

21. Health care is virtually free in Botswana. Even expensive medications
such as ARV's are availed free of charge. The BDP government is cognisant of
the relationship between an individual's health and their overall ability to
command an acceptable living standard.

22. For this reason, we have ensured, on a sustained basis, that our people
have the best healthcare we are capable of providing as a nation. The
evidence is overwhelming! Our commitment and determination to arrest the
spread of HIV/AIDS is total and unshakable - hence the modest success we
have registered in reducing the rate of infection.

LOCAL PROCUREMENT PROGRAMME

23. All government departments and parastatals subscribe to the programme
on the Use of Locally Manufactured Goods and Services (ULMGS). Local
manufacturers and service providers are given preference over their foreign
based counterparts. Under this programme, if there is a locally based
company, that can provide a quality and cost-effective service or product,
then that company should have automatic preference over any foreign based
company. This is empowerment.

LOCAL ENTERPRISE AUTHORITY

24. The Local Enterprise Authority has been established to empower local
enterprises with the skills and expertise, necessary for sustainable
economic growth. Small, medium, and micro enterprises tend to be one of the
economic growth engines in an economy.

25. I was encouraged to learn, that Batswana women entrepreneurs have
embraced some of the government assisted programmes so enthusiastically,
that they now produce artifacts of international quality in basketry,
leather and bead work. I would like to see the momentum generated by these
programmes accelerated.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE INITIATIVES

26. The Citizen Entrepreneurial Agency continues to empower Batswana
through financial assistance in the form of loans. The role of CEDA is
strategic, as it provides financial assistance, that our citizens would not
be able to obtain from any other financial institution; and these loans are
provided at preferential interest rates.

27. The BDP government considers it necessary at this stage of our
development, to provide subsidised and preferential access to credit for our
citizens in the hope, that this will facilitate the establishment of a
vibrant entrepreneurial class. Of course we would not like to see Batswana
getting addicted to subsidies. We are using schemes such as CEDA to force a
transition from the agrarian conditions in which most of our people lived to
a more enterprising community of citizens.

PRIVATISATION

28. Over the past months there has been much debate about privatisation
and its different implications and permutations. Debate and differing
opinions on an issue are healthy for a democracy such as ours, but such
debates should be handled with maturity. Our privatization policy is not
necessitated by any budgetary deficits - it is prompted by the desire to
make our economy more efficient. The economy has now reached a stage where
we must sophisticate its management.

29. As our economy gets more refined, sustainable growth and employment
creation have to move from the government to the private sector.
Diversification of the economy, job creation, and long run macroeconomic
stability will eventually rest upon the private sector with guidance and
monitoring from the government. It is neither sustainable nor desirable,
that government should continue to be the largest employer and investor in
the economy.

30. The net effect of the process of privatization will be greater
efficiency, diversity, and dynamism in the economy; and it has long been
stated that diversification and innovativeness are the key to long term
economic stability and job creation.

31. Our economic policies and approaches have always been characterised by
a sense of conservatism and caution, and as we embark on our structural
reforms, much thought and planning has been given to the strategic direction
in which, we want our economy to go.

32. I am particularly perturbed by allegations, that we are pursuing
privatization in order to recklessly sell-off national assets at discounted
prices to ourselves or some entities in which we are shareholders. These
are malicious and unfounded allegations meant to besmirch the good name of
our Party and its government.

33. The Privatization of Air Botswana is one issue on which, everyone has
held an opinion. In particular it is thought by some that the government
has no right to be negotiating with potential partners without prior
permission from Parliament. I want to assure the nation that no law will be
breached or disregarded in this process.

34. We tried to sell Air Botswana as a going concern in accordance with the
Air Botswana Transition Act in 2002. There were no takers and for five
years no-one has come up with any bright initiative. Now that government is
exploring a possibility, tongues are wagging.

35. Instead of sitting around while the airline continues to make losses
and to bleed the country of much needed resources, my government has started
the ball rolling on possible other ways to privatize Air Botswana and return
it to efficiency and profitability. I want to assure the nation that any
outcome of these proposals will first have to be legislated into reality by
Parliament. They will go to Parliament as all proposals in the form of a
bill.

36. There is therefore no justification for any jumping of the gun and
stalemating the negotiations into a still born outcome. Time and tide wait
for no man. As Shakespear has said, - there is a tide in the affairs of
men, that taken at its flood may lead on to fortune but omitted their life
is bound in shallows and miseries. Upon such a sea are we afloat. We must
strike while the tide serves or lose our goal.

YOUTH ISSUES

37. Director of Ceremonies, Statistics show that 60% of our population are
youth, this makes them a priority constituency for our government. In 2006
and 2007 a number of developments have culminated in making this year a
watershed year for our Youth.

38. The new Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Culture; the proposed new
Botswana International University of Science and Technology; the CEDA Young
Farmers Fund, the increment of the out of school grant 10 fold from
P3million to P30million and the multi-billion development projects from the
private sector all have the potential to create empowerment opportunities
for our Youth.

39. In addition, government has been in the process of reviewing the
experience requirements for entry level positions into the civil service,
with a view of reducing high experience requirements for entry level
positions. This will, however have to be carefully considered because it
would be a grave mistake to give our youth the impression, that experience
and long service do not matter.

UNEMPLOYMENT

40. Our ultimate objective is to achieve full employment for all our
citizens as reflected in our Vision 2016 statement. As Democrats are aware,
the rate of unemployment was around 10% in the early 1990's. However, as a
result of a combination of chronic droughts and the plateauing of minerals
growth with a concomitant depression in the construction industry
unemployment rose to 24% and it hovered around that level for many years,
until recently, when we were able to reduce it to 17.6%.

41. The big projects which your government has initiated should force
unemployment to go down further. I must express my concern though, about
the rather lax attitude of some of our people. Many jobs in the
agricultural sector remain unmanned for a long time because Batswana are not
interested in working in that sector. This is regrettable. If we are to
fight unemployment successfully we must become less choosy.

PARTY ISSUES AND CHALLENGES

42. Fellow Democrats, distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, let me now turn
to matters of intimate concern to the Party and its condition. From the
onset let me inform you that the Party is strong, united and gearing itself
for the 2009 national elections.

43. This followed the Party corporate strategy that we adopted which was
followed by a media strategy, retreats and unity seminars, that we held
across the country. It would seem that the appeals by the Chairman and I for
democrats to work together and harder are now bearing fruit. I say this
because we are now winning bye-elections, we also witnessed calm and
friendly campaigns for the Youth Wing, Women's Wing and now the Central
Committee elections.

UNITY

44. MaDomkrag I spoke to you recently at the National Council, as I always
do at these occasions, about the need to remain united and cohesive, so that
we can continue to be the dominant political force in Botswana. Let me
reiterate, one more time, that "United we stand and divided we fall". This
adage remains true now in our Party as it has always been.

45. When some of our colleagues in the party feel left out or even
victimized, they tend to sit at home or worse still, vote with the
opposition to get back at those they regard as their enemies within the
Party.
This is why we must work hard to ensure, that the primary elections are free
and fair. The idea that a group or groups among us, with different agendas
can form and crystallize within the Party, without resulting in negative
repercussions for all of us is a fallacy.

46. There must be only one agenda, the BDP agenda, which should of course,
be consistent with the national agenda. It is for this reason, that I urge
you, not just at this congress, but throughout our existence as a Party to
see ourselves as one, to treat each other with respect and courtesy and
that means to disagree, where we must without name calling and abuse.

PUBLIC SPEAKING

47. The same goes, distinguished delegates for the way we speak in Public
fora about our very party itself. To expect that it is acceptable to speak
ill and vulgar about our Party during the week and then don its colours at
the weekend and sing its praises hoping to persuade other people to vote for
it is simply naïve and unrealistic.

48. This does not mean that the Party and its government must not be
criticised by its members. It means that the words used, opportunities
chosen and tone adopted must be balanced and constructive.
It would be inexcusable, in fact intolerable, for any member of our Party,
however important they may consider themselves to be, to behave like a bull
in a china shop and destroy the very policies on which BDP roots are
anchored.

49. You will be aware that one of the opposition parties - the BCP - has
announced an agenda and programme of vilification against us between now and
the elections. They intend, in particular, to target His Honour the Vice
President as the prospective leader of this Party and this Nation. They
have already published or produced a document highly critical of us and
distributed it to the Resident Foreign Missions and others.

50. It is in the light of such attacks on us and on our integrity, that I
implore you that there should be a difference in the quality and tone of our
criticism of our Party leadership and that of the opposition against us. If
you wax lyrical in your vituperation of your Party and Government, to the
cheers and exultation of our detractors, please remember that the same
invective will in future be turned against you by the same detractors.

ELECTIONS

51. This is the penultimate congress before the next General Elections in
2009. This means by the time we get to the 2009 Congress it will be too
late to fine tune or sharpen our thinking in various policy areas. This
congress is, therefore, the most important opportunity to do so.

52. Our election preparedness starts right now with the preparations for
"Bulela Ditswe" our primary elections. The Central Committee has appointed a
Task Force, which in turn has sent teams around the country to clean up our
membership registration hitches. This is very important, as it will
determine that we have a clean, peaceful primary election, not adulterated
by incomplete voters' rolls and allegations of rigging.

53. Of course ultimately the business of any political party that wants to
run the country is to win elections. It is for this reason that everything
that we do must be aimed towards - the attainment of that objective - the
2009 elections. I shall never tire of reminding you, to channel all your
energies towards making sure, that the BDP not only wins those elections but
does so convincingly.

54. A scenario where we win the majority of seats but fail to command a
comfortable majority in the popular vote is not a good one. Let us face it,
it would undermine our mandate. Although in other countries it is not
uncommon for a party to win elections sometimes with numbers as low as 30%,
our opponents seem to think our 52% gives them some hope and even reason to
celebrate.

55. I know we can legally and legitimately exercise a mandate even with
less than half of the popular vote, but this we should never aim at. If all
Batswana who were carrying our cards in 2004 had voted for their party, we
would have won with more than 60% of the popular vote.

OPPOSITION

56. As for the opposition, we should remember, that they still present no
alternative to ourselves, united or separately. This is why Batswana look to
us as their only hope. Our policies, programmes and projects are well
thought out. I still do not know what our opposition stands for. This
situation is further compounded by the very public disunity, that currently
plagues the main opposition party, the BNF.

57. Anyone who thinks their recent special congress has healed their rift
has got another suprise coming. To begin with, the one group did not even
accept the results and we are receiving reports of a divided and
disenchanted opposition membership around the country.

58. We should not, however, just sit here and celebrate their current state
of disarray. We must work hard to exploit it to our benefit. We should
graphically point out their current state of affairs.
Imagine the leader of a political party contemplating to run in an election
under another party name and symbol as we hear is being contemplated in
Ramotswa! And as happened in Lobatse when the leader of PUSO, in the person
of Modubule successfully usurped the BNF seat and came to Parliament. You
could go through them one after another and still be left wondering. The
answer is of course that there is still no alternative.

59. This is why it is laughable for an organization like the BCP, which is
not even running for state power, to lampoon Botswana's democracy. Our
democratic credentials are impeccable. They constitute the foundation of
our political culture. And as such they do not belong to a single party but
to all Batswana.

60. An entity that dissociates itself from this democratic culture, runs
the risk, of being driven into the political wilderness by our voters. I
would not be surprised if the lonely member the BCP has in Parliament, who
is thereby dint of our generosity, went into extinction after 2009.

61. Madomi a Mantle, as I mentioned at the recent Women's Wing Congress,
the Constitution of our country, quite properly decrees that I retire by the
31st March 2008. I thank you most sincerely for the support that you have
always given me during my tenure as Party leader. I have no doubt that you
will extend similar support to my successor, His Honour the Vice President,
Lt General Seretse Khama Ian Khama. I should enjoy my retirement immensely
if you would do so.

CONCLUSION

62. In conclusion, let me wish you well in your Congress and encourage you
to be level headed in your discussions if you are to come up with meaningful
resolutions. May I also ask that we end our Congress in the spirit of love
and mutual respect that must reflect our current theme: Unity and hard Work:
Towards 2009 and beyond. Those elected and their supporters must, as they
celebrate their success, do so with the utmost restraint and have
consideration for the feelings of those who will have been less fortunate.

63. Much as I will spend as much time with you as I can, the immediate
affairs of the country require that I, as is usual, leave you at some point
to join the people of Goodhope on President's Day. I join Batswana in
different parts of the country every year for these celebrations at this
time.

64. It is now my singular honour and privilege to declare this the 32nd
National Congress of the Botswana Democratic Party officially open.
TSHOLETSA! TSHOLETSA!