Kutlo Motseta
8th October 2026
Democracy International, which is an international NGO, which supports political systems around the world, hosted its first conference in Botswana to observe and exchange ideas on democracy with the people of Botswana.
Minister of the State Presidency, Moeti Mohwasa delivered the keynote address. He discussed the meaning of Democracy in Botswana and the importance of the local traditional ‘Kgotla’, which is the platform from which the international political ideal developed locally.
“Democracy has not been confined to legislation … but our communities had spaces in which people gathered and deliberated on issues affecting their lives. This remains an important tradition …democracy … is a way of protecting the dignity of every citizen equally before the law and [ensuring the] peaceful transfer of power,” said Mohwasa.
“The Kgotla is where people gather and discuss matters which affect their lives and where leaders listen. Democracy must be experienced in our everyday lives,” he added.
“People are struggling, essentially that is why they put us there … when democracy does not address inequality and exclusion, it risks becoming distant from the people it’s meant to serve,” he said.
Botswana received much international praise when the previous Government, led by the Botswana Democratic Party(BDP) President Mokgweetsi Masisi, peacefully handed over power without military incident, which has been experience of many African countries.
There is growing global concern about the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) internationally.
A Nobel Laurette for his pioneering work in AI, Dr. Geoffrey Hinton, an academic doctor of AI, who is also known as the ‘godfather of AI’, delivered a chilling warning in his address to the United Nations at the UN Digital World Conference about its potential to conquer, lead and destroy humanity.
New developments enable AI to develop capacities beyond the imitation of human reasoning – which it performs at a speed beyond capacity – and which, according to the Nobel Laurette, now includes the ability to imitate human intuition, which it constructs through its own coding.
Moeti warned that technology must not usurp its utilitarian function and take over the governance of people. “We must ensure that technology becomes a servant of [constitutional] democracy and not its master,” said Mohwasa.
He added that AI and related other instruments have increased access to information: “With this opportunity, comes responsibility because false information travels faster than the truth.”
Mohwasa said, “Public authority must serve people not control them … Democracy must be felt in everyday life … and in the way the leaders respond to the people’s concerns … In order for democracy to be meaningful, it must remain connected to the people.”
Mohwasa also spoke about the practical importance of democracy.
“Our differences should not make us enemies … [people] must be allowed to contribute to decisions that affect our lives.”
Commenting on the patriarchal concerns in democracy he added, “Women should be allowed to meaningfully participate in Kgotla’s.”
‘Democracy International’ is headquartered in Cologne, Germany and runs partnership projects across the world in which they exchange ideas and use tangible evidence to promote peace, democracy and international development.
