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...

On March 27, 2026, the Court of Appeal (CoA) overturned a High Court ruling and reinstated a 15-year prison sentence for Rivers Kakana, convicted of multiple rapes during a harrowing three-day ordeal in 2013. The case revolves around the assaults on Segametsi Dochi in 2013. According to reports, Dochi visited Kakana’s home on 7th March 2013, to collect a debt he owed her. Instead of repaying her, Kakana lured her into the bush, where he...

The Botswana government has not taken an official position on homosexuality, Minister of Labor and Home Affairs Pius Mokgware confirmed this week. He made the statement while responding to Serowe South MP Leepetswe Lesedi’s inquiry about whether the government plans to legalize same-sex marriages in the near future; requests for statistics on the number of homosexuals, heterosexuals, bisexuals, transgender, and asexual individuals in Botswana; and efforts underway to raise public awareness and acceptance of the...

The Minister of State for the Presidency, Defense, and Security, Moeti Mohwasa, disclosed to parliament this week that the ministry is engaged in consultations with the three former presidents to reassess their benefits packages. Mohwasa explained that the former presidents have submitted both monetary and non-monetary proposals aimed at enhancing their welfare, which the ministry is currently evaluating. “Some of the non-monetary submissions can be addressed administratively, while the monetary proposals will depend on the...

Botswana’s prison service currently manages 22 facilities, including a center for illegal immigrants, with an official capacity of 4,337 inmates. This information was disclosed this week in Parliament by Nelson Ramaotwana, the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, during his committee of supply presentation for the Botswana Prison Service (BPS). As of March 18, 2026, the prison population stood at 4,457, including two children accompanying their mothers, Mr. Ramaotwana revealed. This number exceeds the authorized...

Over the past decade, Botswana has reported more than 6,000 cases of missing persons, with 426 individuals still unaccounted for. The year 2021 saw a spike in cases, with 45 people remaining missing. Authorities have confirmed that 334 reported missing persons were found deceased; 178 from natural causes, 97 by suicide, and 54 murdered. Although six victims were discovered with body parts missing, often linked culturally to ritual killings, forensic examinations revealed these injuries occurred...

The high-profile asset forfeiture case involving former Minister of Minerals and Energy Lefoko Moagi took a dramatic turn as the defence questioned the authenticity of certain documents presented by the Directorate of Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) and the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP). During the hearing scheduled for arguments on Moagi’s challenge against the seizure of his properties, defence attorney Tengo Rubadiri requested a further postponement. He explained that they plan to approach the...

The Office of the Receiver reported a striking surge in asset forfeitures this January, marking a 321.8 percent increase attributed to final forfeitures, according to Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Nelson Ramaotwana. He disclosed these figures while presenting the committee of supply for the office in Parliament this week. Minister Ramaotwana revealed that the assets seized by the office in January alone totaled P32,253,471.10. This impressive haul was bolstered by ongoing administrative deposits from...

This week, during a parliamentary session, the issue of death row inmates was brought to the forefront by Leepetswe Lesedi, the Member of Parliament for Serowe South, who directed a series of probing questions to Nelson Ramaotwana, the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services. Lesedi sought clarity on the government’s stance regarding capital punishment, inquiring specifically whether a moratorium on the death penalty has been instituted in Botswana. He requested details on the current number...

A recent investigation by The Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance in Botswana (SAAPA Botswana) sheds new light on the troubling role alcohol plays in fueling gender-based violence (GBV) across southern Africa. Titled “Examining Alcohol Availability & Gender-Based Violence in Four Countries in Southern Africa: A Community-Centered Approach,” the study reveals how the accessibility and trading practices of alcohol intensify risks, escalate the severity of violence, and foster environments where such violence becomes more likely. Focusing...