With the continent’s largest health and social challenges often underestimated or sidelined, it is remarkable when a visionary stands out to rewrite these narratives. Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of the Merck Foundation, has emerged as one of Africa’s most transformative figures, securing a coveted spot among the “100 Most Influential Africans 2025” by the UK-based New African Magazine. Her recognition alongside powerful African presidents, from Angola’s João Lourenço to South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa and Ghana’s...

Gender-based violence (GBV) is not just about individual acts of cruelty or isolated conflicts; it is, at its core, a manifestation of entrenched power imbalances rooted in cultural, economic, and social structures that govern household and community life. The violence deeply ingrained within homes reflects a broader societal failure to dismantle patriarchal norms that sustain male dominance and female submission. The brutal reality is that these power dynamics trap survivors in a vicious cycle of...

Judge Mmako Abram steps in Botswana’s judicial landscape has been jolted once again following the discreet resignation of High Court Judge Omphemetse Kebonang. Opting to embark on a new chapter as Botswana’s senior diplomat to the European Union, Kebonang’s departure has unsettled many within the country’s legal circles.

…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...

The Botswana People’s Party (BPP), a longstanding pillar in the nation’s political landscape, has found itself at the center of a storm stirred by a forged resignation letter allegedly penned by party president Motlatsi Molapisi. The letter that emerged on social media stirred whispers of upheaval, claiming Molapisi was stepping down to make way for new leadership, but the party has forcefully denied these claims, denouncing the document as a malicious fabrication designed to sow...

Police Probe alleged trafficking of job seekers to Ukraine war Zimbabwean man arrested for operating fraudulent hiring firm Men with no military experience recruited – paid P240 000 Promised roles in Ukraine, Ireland, Bulgaria, Finland, Poland The arrest of a Zimbabwean national at Botswana’s main international airport last month has cracked open a disturbing story: the alleged trafficking of vulnerable job seekers from southern Africa to support Russia’s war effort in Ukraine. Evans Sivechere, 30,...

Battling Digital Abuse Plaguing Botswana Women Almost one in two women in Botswana is caught in the grip of digital violence, a troubling crisis rapidly unfolding across the country’s online spaces. A recent study reveals that while Botswana races ahead with its digital transformation, its cyber-safety systems can’t keep pace to protect women and girls. These findings come as Parliament steps up efforts to tackle what global experts now call one of the fastest-growing forms...

President Advocate Duma Boko has once again called for a significant reduction in his security detail whenever he attends domestic events. His reasoning centers on deep concerns that the current security setup isn’t just overly lavish but also places undue strain on the national budget. This isn’t the first time Boko has voiced such concerns; rather, it’s a persistent point of contention that insiders say continues to spark heated debates between the President and his...

Issues formal notice to health facilities ordering withdrawal of medicines The sudden alert about suspected quality issues in tuberculosis medicines supplied by Ayesha Biotech Pvt. Ltd. has sent ripples through health systems and affected communities reliant on these critical drugs. On 19 November 2025, the Central Medical Stores (CMS) issued a formal notice to health facilities, hospital superintendents, council authorities, and chief medical officers, ordering the immediate withdrawal and quarantine of three specific TB medicines...