…as fuel price cuts drive transport costs down Botswana’s inflation cooled sharply in July 2026, marking a rare bright spot in a year otherwise defined by persistent price pressures across southern Africa. The annual inflation rate eased to 9.4 percent from 10.7 percent in June, a 1.3 percentage-point drop driven largely by a steep decline in transport costs. According to the latest Consumer Price Index report from Statistics Botswana, this easing was chiefly due to...
The legal battle between prominent Biggie Ganda Butale and the Government of Botswana has reached a crucial procedural milestone. In the latest development in the high-profile challenge against the administrative removal of sodomy laws, the Attorney General has formally approached the High Court to seek directions on how the case should proceed. A Filing Notice dated August 5, 2026, reveals that the Respondent has submitted an “Application for Directions” under Order 28 of the court...
Tensions rose in the National Assembly as lawmakers voiced concerns about delays in processing urgent questions, motions, and correspondence. Some members questioned whether Parliament is maintaining its independence from the Executive branch. Maun West Member of Parliament Caterpillar Hikuama accused the speakership of using procedural tactics to obstruct communication channels that lawmakers had agreed upon to facilitate dialogue between MPs and the Speaker. “These delays are undermining Parliament’s independence and preventing urgent issues from receiving...
A push for greater transparency at the ballot box has ignited a political clash in Parliament. MPs rejected the proposal by Leader of the Opposition, Dumelang Saleshando, calling for transparent ballot boxes and decentralized vote counting. This rejection prompted members of the Botswana Congress Party to stage a walkout from the House. Saleshando has been a vocal advocate for electoral amendments, arguing that changes are essential to boost public trust in the election process. His...
Botswana is being urged to strengthen and diversify its economic development strategy in response to shifting diamond revenues, productivity challenges, and the urgent need for broader economic diversification. This advice comes from the African Development Bank (AfDB) in its 2026 Country Focus Report, *Mobilizing Botswana’s Development Financing at Scale in a Fragmented World*. The report explores how Botswana can sustain growth and secure development financing amid a changing global landscape. Botswana stands at a pivotal...
FIA report focuses on offenses reported since 2021 Corruption has surfaced as the chief predicate offense impacting Botswana’s development finance institutions, representing P174.68 million, or roughly 87 percent, of identified criminal proceeds in recent years. These insights come from a report released by the Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA), titled “Seeing the Cracks: Understanding Money Laundering, Terrorism Financing & Proliferation Financing Risks to Secure Development Finance.” The report examines the risks of money laundering, terrorism financing,...
BPC says it balances innovation, affordability in landmark smart meter tender Says it is commitment to value, consumer protection, and economic growth 10% stake local company quoted 4 times the price of dominant international firm Navigates complex procurement to deliver affordable, reliable electricity access Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) finds itself at the center of a heated debate, one that has the potential to reshape the nation’s electricity landscape. The controversy revolves around the procurement of...
The long-anticipated forensic audit in Botswana remains cloaked in secrecy. Emma Peloetletse, the former Permanent Secretary to the President, disclosed that neither senior nor junior government officials, including herself, have seen the final report.
The Directorate of Intelligence and Security’s (DIS) has made unprecedented appointment of 54 deputy directors at the E2 scale level. This revelation, brought to light by Ramotswa Member if Parliament, Boniface Mabeo in a pointed address to the Permanent Secretary to the President (PSP), has ignited a fierce debate about the propriety and financial wisdom of such staffing decisions within one of the nation’s most secretive agencies. The PSP, Ms. Matshidiso Bokole, has promised a...
Prominent businessman Bakang Seretse has filed a formal complaint against retired South African Constitutional Court Judge Edwin Cameron, who currently serves on the Botswana Court of Appeal (CoA). The complaint accuses Cameron of a recurring pattern of prejudgment and the use of intemperate, personalized judicial language in cases linked to the multi-million Pula National Petroleum Fund (NPF) scandal.
