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...

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.  

The Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) is mounting a calculated offensive in the Northwest region this weekend, underscoring its resolve to dismantle the entrenched hold of the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) in this key political landscape. The coalition’s strategic visit to Maun arrives on the back of a morale-boosting triumph in the recent Kgalagadi South by-election.  

Botswana Police have launched a comprehensive investigation into one of Southern Africa’s most influential and widely followed religious organizations, the St Engenas Zion Christian Church (ZCC). This probe was triggered after a substantial and unexplained sum of money was discovered sitting in one of the church’s bank accounts within Botswana, raising serious concerns about potential money laundering activities and the broader financial transparency of religious institutions in the region.    

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...