Botswana currently stores approximately 300 tonnes of confiscated elephant tusks in government facilities, a stockpile valued at potentially millions of dollars on the international market, yet unsellable under existing trade restrictions. This was revealed by Moemi Raeshimane Batshabang, director of the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP), during Day 7 of the Standing Committee on Government Assurances’ review of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism. The seized ivory is securely held by government authorities...

Botswana government is gearing up for one of its boldest environmental shifts yet: a complete ban on single-use plastics by 2027. This comes even as the national plastic levy continues to bring in about P1.5 million every month. The move marks a clear turn from simply taxing plastic use to outright eliminating it, aiming for a cleaner, more sustainable economy. If successful, Botswana will join a growing group of African nations taking serious steps to...

Potlako Mawande, the former Chief Operating Officer of the Gambling Authority, has filed a defamation lawsuit seeking P16,729,000 against his previous employer. He alleges that the Authority dismissed him based on fabricated evidence and subsequently blacklisted him within the gambling industry. The writ of summons, filed at the Gaborone High Court on June 2, 2026, accuses the Gambling Authority of orchestrating a deliberate campaign to tarnish his professional reputation. At the heart of the dispute...

Botswana has formally acceded to the African Youth Charter, and with it, quietly closed one of the more awkward chapters in the country’s relationship with its own young people.

The fate of several key figures within the United Democratic Coalition (UDC) now rests with the coalition’s National Executive Committee (NEC), which is set to decide whether constituencies shielded from primary election challenges ahead of the 2024 General Election will retain that protection or be opened to competition in the upcoming electoral cycle.

A fresh study from the Botswana Institute for Development Policy Analysis (BIDPA) has spotlighted a slew of deep-rooted issues hampering parliament’s ability to do its job well.

As his influence deepens within both the government and the Botswana National Front (BNF), Minister of Health and BNF Secretary General Dr. Stephen Modise is emerging as a leading contender for a parliamentary seat in the 2029 General Election.

The forensic audit report that has captured public attention for months remains locked away at the Office of the President, with investigators still awaiting the document that could spark one of Botswana’s most significant anti-corruption efforts.  

The dismissal of the Botswana Housing Corporation (BHC) board by Minister of Water and Human Settlement Onneetse Ramogapi has intensified scrutiny of the multi-billion-pula Kgale housing development.  

TransUnion’s latest research reveals that in 2025, suspected digital fraud involving consumers in Botswana stood at 0.9% of transaction attempts. This figure is notably below the global average of 3.8% and marks the lowest rate across African nations included in the analysis. While there has been a year-over-year decline in suspected fraud both locally and worldwide, fraudsters are evolving, increasingly employing sophisticated, high-trust scams designed to bypass conventional defenses. These insights come from the TransUnion...