…as Government Drops All Criminal Charges This week, Ketlhalefile Motshegwa, Minister of Local Government and Traditional Affairs, addressed a Kgotla gathering in Mochudi, providing an update on his recent official meeting with the Paramount Chief of Bakgatla Ba Kgafela, Kgafela Kgafela II, held in South Africa.  

This week, Minister of Basic Education and Child Welfare, Nono Mokoka-Kgafela, made a significant announcement in Parliament: the Botswana Examinations Council (BEC) has officially ended its partnership with Cambridge University Press and Assessment (CUPA). Opening her statement, Kgafela underscored that BEC, in fulfilling its mandate, has firmly embedded robust quality assurance frameworks within its assessment processes to guarantee excellence in examination delivery. She emphasized that this quality assurance framework is strengthened through collaboration with independent...

Botswana’s government is caught up in a heated debate after announcing a massive P1 billion deal to buy helicopters for the Presidential Fleet. The purchase came to light when Minister of State President Moeti Mohwasa answered questions from Opposition Leader Dumelang Saleshando. Critics say the whole thing feels secretive and rushed, stirring up arguments about whether this is the right move for Botswana, especially with the country facing real social and economic challenges.  

High Court orders permanent stay of sentencing owing to 13-year trial delay This week, Justice Dr. Zein Kebonang of the Gaborone High Court delivered a landmark ruling, ordering an indefinite stay on the sentencing of Dikaleleo Mphakelwa, who stands convicted of murder following an extraordinarily protracted trial spanning a decade. The judicial determination grappled with a significant constitutional issue arising post-conviction, specifically whether the appellant’s constitutional entitlement to a fair hearing within a reasonable timeframe—enshrined...

Dumelang Saleshando, the Leader of the Opposition (LOO) and President of the Botswana Congress Party (BCP), has delivered a powerful and deeply insightful response to President Duma Boko’s recent State of the Nation Address (SONA). His reply, titled “Going Beyond Promises: Building a Botswana That Works for All,” cuts through the usual political gloss to reveal the harsh and often overlooked realities confronting the country today. More than just a critique, Saleshando’s address lays out...

Kgaodi, Setlhabi each secures Over P2 Million BPS and DIS ordered to cover legal costs In a decisive High Court ruling this week, Justice Matlhogonolo Phuthego delivered a victory to suspended Directorate of Intelligence Services (DIS) director of legal affairs, Pulane Kgaodi, and Principal Intelligence Officer Paul Setlhabi.

China Jiangsu resolved blacklisting only through access to Masisi, Magosi Brigadier Masisi promised P5 million to arrange Masisi-Magosi meetings Brigadier Masisi got P100,000 cash and black label beer for Christmas Lekorwe condemned unethical cash-for-favors through presidential brother The names of Former President Mokgweetsi Masisi and his brother, Brigadier Thulaganyo Masisi, as well as Brigadier Peter Magosi, Director General of the Directorate of Intelligence and Security Services (DISS), emerged prominently in litigation initiated by retired Brigadier...

A breeding ground for exploitation of foreign nationals Zimbabwean domestic workers recruited as surrogate mothers Surrogacy remains a largely unfamiliar and complex topic for the average Motswana. Yet, according to the Oxford Constitutional Law website, surrogacy is defined as an arrangement whereby a woman (the surrogate) consents to carry a pregnancy and deliver a child on behalf of another individual or couple (the intended or commissioning parents). Unlike neighboring South Africa, Botswana lacks any statutory...

The Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management (SASSCAL) has formally transferred ownership of 15 automatic weather stations (AWS) to Botswana’s Ministry of Environment and Tourism. This significant handover, a key component of the WeNet project, took place earlier today. Concurrently, SASSCAL is facilitating a three-day training workshop for stakeholders involved in the WeMAST Project Phase 2, designed to reinforce and expand the regional community of practice. At the event,...

A local magistrate has released a minor charged with murder on bail, delivering a stinging rebuke to Botswana’s child justice system and its failure to adequately protect young defendants. Magistrate Tshepo Magetse’s ruling shines a harsh light on systemic deficiencies that risk harming children caught in the legal system. Magetse, presiding in Francistown, emphasized the potential for minors to be held alongside adults, the lack of suitable detention facilities within reach of the court, and...