The Botswana Congress Party youth league on Wednesday slammed the ruling Botswana Democratic Party for the ill-conceived scheme to slash tertiary students allowances, arguing the move would cause more stress to the current plight and debilitating conditions afflicting the innocent citizen youths.
Speaking at a press conference, characterized by poor attendance by the media fraternity, BCP youth league decried the upward spiral of the cost of living. was taking unabated, pleading with the ancestors to come to the rescue and instill a sense of sound mind to the BDP leadership to reverse the inconsiderate decision.
“The cost of living is getting higher each and every day, making life miserable for these students,” said the youth publicity secretary, Seabelo Thekiso, who is also the Village ward councilor. “Basic commodities, such as groceries, let alone accommodation, have gone through the roof and, as such, the students could no longer do with the meager payouts the government is giving them.”
He continued: “It is against this backdrop that BCP youth league calls for the reinstatement of the previous student allowances because students are now highly inconvenienced, which will lead to a high failure rate,” Thekiso added to an almost empty press audience, which the hosts scoffed were much interested in BDP politics than BCP “while in actual fact the BCP has much to offer”.
Botswana government late 2008 cut the students’ allowances from a sustainable P1, 900 to a paltry P1, 400, citing the global financial crisis.
