Botswana Minute.
Tuesday, 28 April 2026
Botswana’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Tuesday, 28 April 2026
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Archive Minute from Tuesday, 28 April 2026
Politics

Court prioritizes child welfare over inheritance DNA testing

The News

In Janet Kelibone Phale v Executor of the Estate Late Samuel K Same & Another, the court dismissed an application for DNA testing on a minor child to determine rightful estate beneficiaries, ruling that the child's best interests—including emotional and psychological well-being—are paramount and cannot be overridden by inheritance concerns based on speculation.

Why it matters

Court prioritizes child welfare over inheritance DNA testing, establishing important legal precedent protecting minors' psychological well-being in family disputes.

28 April 2026 · Mmegi →

Politics

  1. Court prioritizes child welfare over inheritance DNA testing

    In Janet Kelibone Phale v Executor of the Estate Late Samuel K Same & Another, the court dismissed an application for DNA testing on a minor child to determine rightful estate beneficiaries, ruling that the child's best interests—including emotional and psychological well-being—are paramount and cannot be overridden by inheritance concerns based on speculation.

    28 April 2026 · Mmegi →

  2. Parliament passes 17 bills to support development agenda

    The 13th Parliament passed 17 bills and three key national policies during its recent session, marking a significant legislative milestone that will support the government's transformative agenda once they are assented to by the President. The bills and policies were passed as part of the government's effort to review and renew laws to ensure their relevance to national development and emerging regional and international issues.

    28 April 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Business

  1. Botswana encourages new cooperative to create jobs, empower communities

    The Department of Cooperative Development has urged Bagodi Savings and Credit Cooperative Society, a newly registered cooperative formed by retired police officers in Palapye, to build enterprises that create jobs, sustain livelihoods, and contribute to national economic empowerment and sustainable development.

    28 April 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

  2. Global stock markets hit record highs despite Middle East tensions

    Global stock markets are reaching record highs despite geopolitical tensions, including US-Iran standoff over the Strait of Hormuz where Iran has intermittently restricted ship traffic carrying roughly a fifth of the world's oil supply. The article argues this demonstrates investors' focus on long-term fundamentals despite headline risks.

    28 April 2026 · Weekend Post →

  3. Inflation forecast to exceed 6% by June 2026

    Inflation averaged 4.1 percent in the first quarter of 2026, up from 2.7 percent in Q1 2025, driven by rising transport, food, and miscellaneous goods costs, with transport contributing 1.6 percentage points to the annual rate.

    28 April 2026 · Weekend Post →

  4. CEO Africa Roundtable Policy Laboratory arrives in Botswana

    The CEO Africa Roundtable, described by its Chief Economist as a policy laboratory, has landed in Botswana. The organization aims to convert boardroom discussions into actionable strategies and influence policy across the continent.

    28 April 2026 · Weekend Post →

  5. BSE Q1 2026 market capitalization surges 32.3% amid divergent growth

    The Botswana Stock Exchange's first quarter saw overall equity market capitalization jump from P687 billion to nearly P909 billion, driven primarily by foreign-listed companies whose value expanded 34.1% compared to domestic firms' 10.7% growth. Domestic indices rose marginally—the Domestic Company Index by 0.5% and its Total Return Index by 1.2%—while trading liquidity declined despite rising valuations.

    28 April 2026 · Weekend Post →

Agriculture & Land

  1. Mophane worm harvesting surge threatens ecosystems and livelihoods

    Over 3,000 harvesters have swarmed communal lands and farms in Botswana for mophane worms, a caterpillar harvested for food and income. Overharvesting, habitat destruction, and weak regulation are depleting mopane worm populations and damaging the mopane woodlands they depend on, threatening both conservation and long-term economic sustainability.

    28 April 2026 · Weekend Post →

Society

  1. Acute malnutrition cycles through San community families

    The article examines why acute malnutrition persistently affects the San community, describing families living in mud and branch structures with multiple people per room, including a nine-month-old recently discharged from malnutrition treatment.

    28 April 2026 · Mmegi →

  2. Newborn baby recovered alive from pit latrine

    A newborn baby was found alive in an unused pit latrine behind a house in Woodhall after a woman heard cries from the structure late Saturday night. A woman has been arrested in connection with the incident.

    28 April 2026 · Mmegi →

Culture

  1. Pacers hosts inaugural jazz festival in Botswana

    The Pacers jazz festival took place on a Saturday night with local disc jockeys and artists performing a mix of local and international music. The executive director said attendance was lower than anticipated but expressed satisfaction with the event, which was the first of its kind.

    28 April 2026 · Mmegi →

  2. Stanbic Music N Lifestyle Festival showcases established and emerging artists

    The festival provided a platform for both established and emerging artists with a diverse line-up that bridged generations and genres, creating an experience that resonated with music lovers.

    28 April 2026 · Mmegi →

  3. Clap & Tap music festival fills UB Arena with Christian worship

    The Clap & Tap music festival took place at the University of Botswana Sports Arena on Saturday, drawing the Christian community in an All White-themed event described as a celebration of sound and colour.

    28 April 2026 · Mmegi →

  4. Okavango chief urges joint cultural event for regional tribes

    Kgosi Moitshepi Molelwa of Gumare has called for a collaborative cultural event uniting the Hambukushu, Wayeyi, and Basarwa tribes of the Okavango District to celebrate their shared heritage and strengthen unity. A Wayeyi community representative from Namibia supported the idea, advocating for inter-games and bilingual storytelling to preserve the Wayeyi legacy across both countries.

    28 April 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Sport

  1. BFA acknowledges gaps in injury management and player welfare

    The BFA interim CEO acknowledged growing tension with clubs over injury management and return-to-play timelines, saying systems exist to safeguard players but admitting gaps remain.

    28 April 2026 · Mmegi →

  2. GU clinches league title after losing to TAFIC

    GU mathematically secured the championship with four games remaining despite a shock defeat to TAFIC, with head coach Sean Connor attributing the loss partly to difficult pitch conditions.

    28 April 2026 · Mmegi →

  3. FNB Botswana Golden Grand Prix transforms National Stadium

    The FNB Botswana Golden Grand Prix 2026, sponsored with P6 million, took place at Gaborone's National Stadium as a World Athletics Continental Tour event and precursor to the World Relays.

    28 April 2026 · Mmegi →

  4. Diamond companies fund Botswana's World Athletics Relays debut

    Debswana, the Okavango Diamond Company and Lucara are investing tens of millions of Pula in Botswana's hosting of the World Athletics Relays, the event's first time in Africa, held in Gaborone.

    28 April 2026 · Mmegi →

  5. Botswana hosts World Athletics Relays on May 2-3

    The Debswana World Athletics Relays will bring athletes from 40 nations to Botswana's capital on May 2-3. Star sprinter Letsile Tebogo said Team Botswana is ready to compete, having prepared away from the city to maintain focus.

    28 April 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

  6. O-Green renewable energy firm sponsors 2026 World Athletics Relays

    O-Green, an Omani renewable energy company developing a 500 MW solar-plus-battery project in Maun, has become a sponsor of the World Athletics Relays Gaborone 2026. The company will provide refreshment stands, smart watches, and branding materials for the event, and plans to offer sponsorship contracts and Garmin smartwatches to top-performing Botswana team athletes.

    28 April 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

  7. Team Botswana threatens withdrawal over camp allowances

    As Botswana hosts the World Athletics Relays, Team Botswana athletes have threatened to withdraw from camp in protest over unpaid incentives and inadequate allowances. Athletes argue that the BNSC Performance Incentives and Rewards Package, unchanged since its 2022 revision at P100 per day, no longer reflects inflation and rising costs.

    28 April 2026 · Weekend Post →

  8. Athletics dominates BNSC Awards with eight nominations

    The Botswana National Sport Commission announced nominees for the 45th Botswana Sports Awards, with the Botswana Athletics Association securing eight nominations. Sprint athlete Collen Kebinatshipi is nominated for Sportsman of the Year, competing against footballer Goitseone Phoko and judoka Tumiso Phuthego, while athlete Oratile Nowe represents athletics in the Sportswoman of the Year category.

    28 April 2026 · Weekend Post →

Tourism & Environment

  1. Botswana should maximize MICE event hosting benefits

    Botswana's national MICE Strategy aims to position the country as a competitive destination for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions to profile and promote itself as a place to live, work and invest, with significant potential benefits if opportunities are deliberately leveraged.

    28 April 2026 · Mmegi →

World & Region

  1. President Boko praises departing Algerian ambassador

    President Advocate Duma Boko commended outgoing Algerian Ambassador Abdelmalek Tigharghar for deepening bilateral ties and advancing economic cooperation between Botswana and Algeria during his two-year tenure, urging him to continue promoting Botswana's story of peace and good governance.

    28 April 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

  2. BII unveils £9bn strategy to mobilize African development capital

    British International Investment has announced a five-year strategy to mobilize £9 billion in fresh capital for Africa, with £5 billion from its own funds leveraged to attract private investment. The initiative focuses on frontier markets and least developed countries where private capital has historically been scarce.

    28 April 2026 · Weekend Post →

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