BOTSWANA CIVIL SOCIETY REJECT CONSTITUTION AMENDMENT BILL
Major civil society groups, churches and trade unions have jointly demanded the immediate withdrawal of the Constitution of Botswana (Amendment) Bill No. 14 of 2025, calling it opaque, rushed and unconstitutional in spirit.
In a statement issued today and signed by BOCONGO, Botswana Council of Churches, OAIC-Botswana, BOFEPUSU and BFTU, the coalition condemned the absence of public consultations, a clear roadmap and civic education ahead of the proposed changes.
The groups warned that pushing the Bill without broad national consensus undermines democracy and risks costly, piecemeal referenda that strain limited resources.
Key demands:
- Withdraw Bill No. 14 of 2025 from Parliament
- Enact a legislated, inclusive Constitution Review Act
- Publish a transparent national roadmap with realistic timelines
- Conduct district-level consultations
- Honour previous government commitments to a people-driven process
The organisations, which met in Gaborone on 23 October, declared: “Botswana’s Constitution must be for the people, by the people, and with the people.”