In Botswana, thousands of children are deprived of parental care, with the majority having lost their guardians to the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS, according to SOS Children’s Villages. Despite the government’s committed efforts to combat the epidemic, human suffering remains widespread, with nearly one in four adults aged 15 to 49 living with the virus. The economic repercussions are profound, as the disease predominantly strikes adults in their most productive years, leaving countless children...

The 2025 Administration of Justice (AOJ) annual report paints a stark picture of a justice system mired in paralysis, with Gender-Based Violence (GBV) cases bearing the brunt of chronic resource shortages. Despite the introduction of specialized dockets intended to streamline these cases, the disposal rate for GBV matters has slipped to 44.88%, down from 46.08% in 2023. Notably, the report omits the breakdown of disposal rates and pending cases by individual magisterial stations; a detail...

Salia Mokobo, a pseudonym adopted to safeguard his professional reputation, shared a poignant account of how his parents’ divorce shattered his childhood and continues to reverberate through his adult life. Born in January 1993 as the youngest of four siblings, Mokobo was barely a year old when his mother filed for divorce in 1994. He later learned that the dissolution of their marriage stemmed from his father’s struggle with alcoholism and the ensuing physical and...

A former BPS Warder speaks out: The Prison environment breeds recidivism Behind the formidable gates of Moshupa Boys’ Prison, a poignant question lingers in the air: are these young lives being genuinely rehabilitated, or merely concealed from society’s view? As of December 2025, 191 boys found themselves confined within these walls. Among them, 91 had been convicted, while 98 remained in a judicial limbo, awaiting their turn in court, a daunting threshold at the outset...

  Manual Workers Union against his appointment as PSBC Secretary Legal missives exchanged between Motshwarakgole, Motsamai A fierce dispute has erupted within Botswana’s labor movement and public service sector over the appointment of Andrew D’Bois Motsamai as Secretary of the Public Service Bargaining Council (PSBC), igniting legal battles, accusations of defamation, and fractures among longstanding union leaders. What began as a routine voting process to fill key PSBC leadership roles has spiraled into a contest...

  David Tshere rules out joining any of UDC affiliate parties Minister Onneetse Ramogapi says they joined UDC directly Coalition’s constitution allows for individual direct membership Observers say UDC direct members avoiding primary elections The political landscape of Botswana has been shaken in recent years by a dramatic shift that ended the Botswana Democratic Party’s (BDP) ironclad grip on power, a reign that lasted nearly six decades since independence in 1966. The emergence of the...

This week marked the commencement of the 2026 legal year under the theme “Court as a Public Service.” Chief Justice Gaolapelwe Ketlogetswe, the judiciary’s foremost authority, delivered an address reflecting on the state of Botswana’s judiciary, evaluating court performance, and outlining strategic priorities for the coming year. Alongside the Chief Justice’s remarks, the Administration of Justice (AoJ) unveiled its 2025 Annual Report. The document, orchestrated by a committee chaired by Justice Godfrey Nthomiwa, Judge President...

  Following the withdrawal of his recognition certificate, Kgosi Ramono Pilane Linchwe, former regent of the Bakgatla-ba-Kgafela in South Africa, has initiated legal proceedings in the High Court. Linchwe is contesting the decision by Northwest Premier Lazarus Kagiso Mokgosi to revoke his official status. On January 15, 2026, Linchwe’s legal counsel addressed a letter to Premier Mokgosi, requesting the withdrawal of Pilane’s recognition certificate. The correspondence included a copy of a provincial gazette containing Proclamation...

Two women (same-sex couple) challenging Botswana’s Marriage Act The Gaborone High Court is poised to hear a landmark case brought forward by Bonolo Selelo and Tsholofelo Kumile, a same-sex couple challenging Botswana’s Marriage Act. The plaintiffs argue that the current legislation unlawfully bans same-sex marriages, violating constitutional protections. The couple disclosed that their relationship began in October 2023, with an engagement following a year later. As they planned their wedding, they sought to formalize their...

What initially appeared as a routine border-crossing arrest in Botswana has unraveled a vast narcotics network, linking Mexican chemists and Nigerian intermediaries to a sprawling methamphetamine production facility deep within Mozambique. The suspects were apprehended alongside Uchema Charles Njoku, a Nigerian resident of Botswana now facing charges for aiding and abetting their unlawful entry. This arrest echoes the group’s operations in Mozambique, where another Nigerian national, Samuel Ndubueze Nathan, was identified as the principal coordinator...