Botswana Minute

Tuesday, 28 July 2026

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Tuesday, 28 July 2026

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Politics

Botswana minister attends UN-HABITAT urban development summit

The News

Minister Ramogapi attended a high-level UN-HABITAT meeting to reflect on progress since the 2016 New Urban Agenda and refine priorities for the next decade. He delivered a national statement on Botswana's efforts to ensure well-planned settlements with integrated housing, services, and climate-resilient urban policies, and met with UN-HABITAT's regional director for Africa to discuss technical support for Botswana's urban development priorities.

28 July 2026 · Mmegi →

Politics

Botswana minister attends UN-HABITAT urban development summit
Minister Ramogapi attended a high-level UN-HABITAT meeting to reflect on progress since the 2016 New Urban Agenda and refine priorities for the next decade. He delivered a national statement on Botswana's efforts to ensure well-planned settlements with integrated housing, services, and climate-resilient urban policies, and met with UN-HABITAT's regional director for Africa to discuss technical support for Botswana's urban development priorities.
28 July 2026 · Mmegi →
Government ignored valuers' advice on Tautona Lodge purchase
A government official has insisted that the Tautona Lodge purchase was driven by strategic national security considerations, despite government property valuers advising against the deal and valuing the property below the purchase price. The matter was examined by the Public Accounts Committee on Monday, which questioned the purchase price, the delayed inclusion of the property in government books, and the handling of revenue generated by the lodge.
28 July 2026 · Mmegi →
DIS officers win court case over BDF Military Police status
Mpho Baleseng and 10 other officers have successfully won a court case declaring they are officers of the Botswana Defence Force Military Police rather than members of the intelligence agency, and they have been paid over P8.1 million.
28 July 2026 · Mmegi →
Officer defends promotions to address career stagnation
Appearing before the Public Accounts Committee, Magosi explained that promotions of various officers—some directly from C1 grade to E2, others to D4—were intended to address long-standing career stagnation affecting officers from different backgrounds.
28 July 2026 · Mmegi →
Botswana and Angola prepare landmark Defence Cooperation Agreement
Botswana and Angola are preparing to sign a Defence Cooperation Agreement aimed at strengthening joint efforts against regional security threats including organised cross-border crime, cybercrime, and wildlife trafficking. The agreement will provide a framework for deeper military cooperation, intelligence sharing, and joint operations, with technical experts from both countries refining the Memorandum of Agreement ahead of signing during an upcoming State Visit.
28 July 2026 · Daily News Botswana →
Government e-payslip system fails data protection compliance
The Information and Data Protection Commission found that the government's e-payslip system did not fully comply with the Data Protection Act, leading to a shutdown as a precautionary measure pending corrective actions and full compliance with the act.
28 July 2026 · Mmegi →

Business

Africa SME body honours President Boko for SME commitment
The President of the All Africa Association for Small and Medium Enterprises honoured President Advocate Duma Boko with the UbuntuSusu Continental SME Billion Fund recognition at the Trade Up North 10th Anniversary in Francistown, acknowledging his commitment to growing SMEs and creating an enabling environment for small businesses in Botswana. AAASME has established the $1.4 billion UbuntuSusu Continental SMEs Fund to assist SMEs in Africa to access finance, presenting Botswana's local SMEs an opportunity to tap into continental financing, markets and partnerships.
28 July 2026 · Daily News Botswana →
BEMA and Bangwato sign economic partnership agreement
The Botswana Exporters and Manufacturers Association (BEMA) has signed a Memorandum of Agreement with Bangwato Tribal Administration covering seven districts, aimed at identifying viable economic opportunities across manufacturing, agro-processing, leather beneficiation, indigenous products, cultural industries, tourism, renewable energy, and community-based enterprises.
28 July 2026 · Daily News Botswana →
Vice President urges Mmadinare to leverage local resources for growth
Vice President Ndaba Gaolathe has urged stakeholders in Mmadinare to build business ideas around local resources such as agricultural land, tourism attractions, and water resources, saying this could unlock opportunities and accelerate rural economic transformation. He called for collaboration between community members, local businesses, and government agencies to identify viable projects that add value locally rather than exporting raw materials.
28 July 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Agriculture & Land

Ross Breeders exports first Botswana poultry shipment to Mozambique
Ross Breeders has become the first poultry exporter in Botswana, dispatching 90,000 hatching eggs to Mozambique as part of a planned weekly export programme. Agriculture Minister Dr Edwin Dikoloti said the milestone demonstrates regional confidence in Botswana's poultry sector and aligns with the government's agricultural commercialisation strategy.
28 July 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Society

Three men rob CIT vehicle with empty cash boxes in Thamaga
Three unidentified men attacked a Security Services cash-in-transit vehicle and threatened security guards with what appeared to be a firearm before fleeing with three empty cash boxes at Builders Mart in Thamaga on Saturday morning. The security officers had already secured the money inside the vehicle when the suspects arrived.
28 July 2026 · Mmegi →
Otse man charged with rape after attack on sisters
A 20-year-old woman and her 34-year-old sister were attacked around 1am while walking to a shebeen; police say the suspect assaulted the older sister with a stone before dragging the younger woman to an unoccupied unfinished house.
28 July 2026 · Mmegi →
Cabinet approves discontinuation of PSLE from 2029
The Cabinet has approved the discontinuation of PSLE from 2029 and beyond, with preparations already underway to manage the transition and ensure a smooth wind-down of the examination over the next few years.
28 July 2026 · Mmegi →

Sport

Branch faces crucial Morocco rally for world title hopes
Motorbike racer Branch, sitting eighth in the RallyGP standings on 31 points—36 behind leader Daniel Sanders—returns to competition at the Rallye du Maroc from September 28 to October 3 needing a strong finish to keep his world title chances alive.
28 July 2026 · Mmegi →