Botswana Minute.
Thursday, 28 May 2026
Botswana’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Thursday, 28 May 2026
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Archive Minute from Thursday, 28 May 2026
Business

Ikageng Public Works receives 75% of Mabutsane budget

The News

Mabutsane District Council has allocated P25.9 million (75%) of its P34.6 million 2026/2027 development budget to the Ikageng Public Works Programme, with P5 million going to the Constituency Community Programme. The council chairperson noted that Ikageng's project memorandum has been submitted to the ministry for approval.

Why it matters

Ikageng Public Works Programme allocation of 75% of Mabutsane's development budget reflects targeted investment in local employment and community infrastructure.

28 May 2026 · Daily News Botswana

Business

  1. Ikageng Public Works receives 75% of Mabutsane budget

    Mabutsane District Council has allocated P25.9 million (75%) of its P34.6 million 2026/2027 development budget to the Ikageng Public Works Programme, with P5 million going to the Constituency Community Programme. The council chairperson noted that Ikageng's project memorandum has been submitted to the ministry for approval.

    28 May 2026 · Daily News Botswana

  2. Huawei nova 15 Max launched in Botswana with 8500mAh battery

    Huawei's nova 15 Max smartphone, recently released in Botswana, features an 8500mAh battery claimed to deliver up to 23 hours of continuous video playback and supports reverse charging to power other devices. The phone carries SGS Premium Performance Mark Drop Resistance 5-Star certification and IP65 rating for dust and water resistance.

    28 May 2026 · Weekend Post

Agriculture & Land

  1. FMD outbreak threatens beef exports; UB seeks tech solutions

    Foot and mouth disease detected in Botswana in January 2025 has led to suspension of beef export authorizations by the European Union, and the nation's loss of FMD-free status. The University of Botswana is described as developing a "quieter revolution" in response to the crisis, though specific details are cut off in the provided excerpt.

    28 May 2026 · Weekend Post

  2. Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak threatens beef exports

    Botswana's beef export industry faces a P200 million loss following an outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease detected in April 2026 at the Ramatlabama Artificial Insemination and Training Centre, with 159 confirmed cases spreading to the Good Hope district and cattle handling facilities near Lobatse, threatening the country's prized FMD-free status.

    28 May 2026 · Weekend Post

Society

  1. Botswana implements Ebola screening at borders, airports

    Botswana has begun intensified screening for Ebola at all entry points following outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. The North East District Council has established isolation facilities at Ramokgwena border post and says Masunga Hospital is prepared to admit patients, though no cases have been recorded yet.

    28 May 2026 · Daily News Botswana

  2. Project Bula Buka offers JCE repeaters alternative pathway

    Project Bula Buka, officially launched in February 2026, provides learners who did not progress to senior secondary school with an alternative educational pathway. The initiative operates at designated learning centres such as Ipeleng Primary School in Lobatse, where students like 17-year-old Lebogang Seleka study core subjects daily to improve their prospects.

    28 May 2026 · Daily News Botswana

  3. Botswana intensifies Ebola screening for all incoming travellers

    Botswana's Ministry of Health has introduced new screening measures for all incoming travellers, including temperature checks and screening for Ebola symptoms, with particular focus on those who have visited the DRC, Uganda, or other Ebola-affected areas within the past 21 days. Symptomatic travellers will be isolated and transported to designated health facilities, and the public has been advised to avoid non-essential travel to affected regions and practise strict hygiene measures.

    28 May 2026 · Mmegi

  4. STEM education must foster critical thinking beyond technical skills

    Dr. Paul Iwuanyanwu argues that STEM education should emphasize critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and argumentation about societal issues, rather than focusing solely on technical content and procedural accuracy, as modern STEM professionals must defend interpretations and navigate complex trade-offs affecting communities.

    28 May 2026 · Weekend Post

  5. Emergency medicine emerging as critical healthcare specialty in Africa

    As Emergency Medicine Day approaches on May 27, the specialty is being highlighted for its growing importance in addressing global healthcare challenges, particularly in Africa where fewer than 10% have access to formal emergency medical services amid rising population growth, road accidents, and infectious disease outbreaks.

    28 May 2026 · Weekend Post

Culture

  1. Ceramics artisan Kelebogile builds pottery business in Serowe

    Kesegofetse Kelebogile, a 40-year-old potter and ceramicist based in Serowe, has established himself as an artisan after learning pottery techniques at Camphill Community Trust in Otse from 2004 to 2006 and later receiving a P100,000 grant from the Ministry of Youth, Gender, Sport and Culture in 2011 to start his own business.

    28 May 2026 · Daily News Botswana

  2. San stories, animals, art collide at Gaborone exhibition

    Where Stories Meet, an exhibition in a Gaborone tea garden, features ancient San stories, wild animals, and dreamscapes. According to the article, the exhibition demonstrates that culture survives when people continue to tell their stories.

    28 May 2026 · The Botswana Gazette

  3. Sample Botswana turns ancestral sounds into digital music

    Sample Botswana is using traditional Botswanan sounds in digital music production, with local producers incorporating ancestral audio into contemporary work.

    28 May 2026 · The Botswana Gazette

Sport

  1. Botswana seeks revenge against Kenya in T20 cricket

    Botswana's cricket team faces Kenya on May 29 in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Sub-Regional Africa Qualifier A, seeking to avenge a 40-run loss from December 2023. Botswana has won four matches so far and must win all six to guarantee qualification and advance to the ICC 2027 Africa Regional Final.

    28 May 2026 · Daily News Botswana

  2. Botswana skateboarder selected for Olympic qualification events

    Theo Setsetse has been selected to represent Botswana at World Skate Olympic Qualification events in Rome, Italy from June 7 to 21, and will also compete at an international skateboarding event in Kardo, Russia in August as part of his Olympic qualification and athlete development pathway.

    28 May 2026 · Daily News Botswana

  3. Tebogo competes in 200m Diamond League debut in Rabat

    Letsile Tebogo, the 21-year-old Olympic gold medallist, will compete in his 200-metre Diamond League account at the Meeting International Mohammed VI in Rabat on May 30, facing a competitive field including Kenneth Bednarek, Andre De Grasse, and Wayde van Niekerk while building toward the Wanda Diamond League Final.

    28 May 2026 · Daily News Botswana

  4. Unaswi Matebu, BNOC board member, has died

    The Botswana National Olympic Committee and Botswana Hockey Association announced the death of Unaswi Matebu, who served on the BNOC Board from 2021 to 2025 as an Additional Member and chaired the Sustainability Committee.

    28 May 2026 · The Botswana Gazette

  5. Botswana athletes face doping crisis amid violations

    Botswana's track and field community is grappling with a surge in doping cases, including high-profile athletes who have challenged positive results. The Botswana National Olympic Committee has confirmed multiple violations, leading to stricter international testing protocols and threats to the nation's sporting reputation.

    28 May 2026 · Weekend Post

Tourism & Environment

  1. Moremi Game Reserve road reopens after flood closure

    The road into Moremi Game Reserve was reopened in April following months of closure due to severe flooding in the Okavango Delta that disrupted tourism operations and caused cash flow pressures for mobile tour operators and camps. Although water levels remain high and some routes including Third Bridge stay closed, authorities reopened the road to prevent further damage to Botswana's tourism sector.

    28 May 2026 · Daily News Botswana

  2. South Africa, Botswana to sign Limpopo River protection agreement

    South Africa and Botswana are set to sign a Memorandum of Agreement to safeguard water quality and combat invasive aquatic species in the Upper Limpopo River Basin, enhancing ecosystem monitoring and biodiversity protection across the transboundary water resource shared with Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

    28 May 2026 · Weekend Post

World & Region

  1. China's global approval rating surpasses United States in surveys

    A Gallup survey indicates China's global approval rating has risen to 36 percent, compared with 31 percent for the United States, marking a shift in global sentiment. Pew Research and regional studies similarly reflect improved perceptions of China across diverse regions and Southeast Asia.

    28 May 2026 · Daily News Botswana

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