The Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) has thrown down the gauntlet, accusing the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) of taking a combative and aggressive stance in Parliament. This growing hostility, they warn, risks throwing a wrench into the delicate machinery needed for opposition parties to unite on key national issues. Mabuse Pule, Member of Parliament for Kgatleng East and leader of the BDP’s minority in Parliament, told WeekendPost that the BCP’s confrontational behavior threatens to derail any...

The standoff over the future of Tlokweng, a historic Batlokwa tribal land just outside Botswana’s capital, Gaborone, has erupted into a fierce battle over identity, land rights, and the meaning of progress. Government plans to declare Tlokweng a township, part of a national spatial strategy aimed at accommodating rapid urban migration and economic expansion, have been met with unyielding resistance from Batlokwa leadership and residents alike. For the Batlokwa, this move threatens not only the...

Botswana risks entering its 2029 general election under the same electoral system long criticized by opposition parties, after government officials indicated that the sweeping reforms pledged during the 2024 campaign could be delayed until a broader constitutional review is completed. The Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), which rose to power on a platform of overhauling the electoral framework, had proposed phasing out the First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) system, introducing public funding for political parties, and ensuring that...

As the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) prepares for its much-anticipated congress this July, political activity is heating up, with key endorsements already shaping the race for the party’s vice presidency. Dr. Kesitegile Gobotswang, former Vice President and a long-standing BCP stalwart representing Tswapong South in Parliament, has thrown his weight behind Dr. Unity Dow, the Member of Parliament for Kgatleng West. Signaling the seriousness of her campaign, Gobotswang has also taken on the role of...

As 2026 unfolds, Botswana’s storied economic stability is under unprecedented strain, laying bare a clash of visions within its political elite over how to navigate mounting financial pressures. A recent parliamentary battle over raising Botswana’s debt ceiling from 40 percent to 60 percent of GDP has exposed stark disagreements between the government, led by Vice President and Minister of Finance Ndaba Gaolathe, and the opposition Botswana Congress Party (BCP), headed by Dumelang Saleshando. This debate...

The Government of Botswana has unveiled an ambitious plan to overhaul its social protection system, targeting a 40 percent reduction in the country’s annual social assistance expenditure, currently standing at P9 billion, by 2036. This effort aims not only to cut costs but also to broaden support and ensure that vulnerable populations are effectively reached. The initiative is part of a larger strategy to shift social protection from short-term relief toward fostering sustainable livelihoods, economic...

Dumelang Saleshando, Leader of the Opposition and Member of Parliament for Maun North, has intensified scrutiny of Botswana’s anti-corruption apparatus by outright rejecting a P25,375,960 budget proposal for the Ethics and Integrity Directorate. He contends that the institution falls short on transparency, a critical shortcoming that undermines public trust. Addressing the parliamentary budget debates, Saleshando reiterated that his opposition to the directorate is longstanding. He made clear that he did not endorse the body under...