Botswana Minute.
Wednesday, 12 August 2026
Botswana’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Wednesday, 12 August 2026
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Archive Minute from Wednesday, 12 August 2026
Politics

Churches oppose legislator's motion to decriminalize sex work

The News

The Christian body has declared firm opposition to a motion by Mogoditshane West legislator Galenawabo Lekau, calling it a "catastrophic misstep" that could expose vulnerable people to greater exploitation, abuse, and human trafficking. Lekau's motion asks government to repeal sections 155 and 156 of the Penal Code to protect human rights, curb gender-based violence, and strengthen public health interventions.

12 August 2026 · Mmegi

Politics

  1. Churches oppose legislator's motion to decriminalize sex work

    The Christian body has declared firm opposition to a motion by Mogoditshane West legislator Galenawabo Lekau, calling it a "catastrophic misstep" that could expose vulnerable people to greater exploitation, abuse, and human trafficking. Lekau's motion asks government to repeal sections 155 and 156 of the Penal Code to protect human rights, curb gender-based violence, and strengthen public health interventions.

    12 August 2026 · Mmegi

  2. BNF launches digital membership registration across regions

    The Botswana National Front has begun rolling out digital membership registration across its 16 regional constituencies, aiming to register 10,000 members and strengthen its grassroots structures.

    12 August 2026 · Mmegi

  3. Opposition BCP calls for urgent anti-corruption action

    Following revelations from Public Accounts Committee hearings, the opposition Botswana Congress Party has demanded urgent action on corruption, stating that the findings expose maladministration and financial losses, and that corruption is entrenched within government.

    12 August 2026 · Mmegi

  4. Parliament opposes lowering gambling age from 21 to 18

    MPs have rejected a government proposal to lower the legal gambling age from 21 to 18, warning that it risks exposing teenagers to gambling at a time when gambling is already affecting households across the country.

    12 August 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

  5. Botswana public service should modernize, prioritize employee wellbeing

    At the 2nd Annual Botswana Public Service Leadership Conference, the CEO of AFRINEX Limited Mauritius urged Botswana's public service to adopt flexible working arrangements and accommodate employees' family responsibilities, arguing that excessive focus on task delivery harms employee wellbeing and long-term performance.

    12 August 2026 · Daily News Botswana

  6. National Research and Innovation Council Bill secures two youth seats

    The National Research and Innovation Council Bill, newly passed, establishes two permanent seats for Batswana under 35 on the apex body overseeing the country's research and innovation ecosystem. The youth seats are secured by law and require candidates to possess requisite skills for meaningful participation.

    12 August 2026 · Weekend Post

  7. Government seeks P3.7 billion from banks for 2026/27 deficit

    Government is seeking to borrow up to P3.7 billion (US$270 million) from three local commercial banks to finance the 2026/27 budget deficit, intensifying scrutiny of its growing debt and servicing costs.

    12 August 2026 · The Botswana Gazette

  8. Boko's adviser hasn't reviewed forensic audit report yet

    President Duma Boko's governance adviser Motlatsi Molapisi says he has not yet seen the forensic audit report, months after it was delivered to the President, and cannot comment on its findings.

    12 August 2026 · The Botswana Gazette

  9. BOFEPUSU opposes central bargaining in public service

    BOFEPUSU warns that replacing sector bargaining with a single public-service structure could weaken unions and undermine existing recognition agreements.

    12 August 2026 · The Botswana Gazette

Business

  1. Botswana launches globally recognized beef brand initiative

    Botswana has unveiled a strategic initiative to establish a globally recognized beef brand focused on high-quality, sustainably raised, and 100% grass-fed beef produced under stringent food safety and ethical farming standards. The Minister of Lands and Agriculture said the move would enable the country to capture greater value through branding and certification rather than exporting raw commodities.

    12 August 2026 · Mmegi

  2. Zana Junction Mall groundbreaking signals investment confidence in Phikwe

    A P200 million public-private partnership retail development led by Zana Copperleaf will build Zana Junction Mall on seven hectares in Selebi-Phikwe, with construction beginning immediately and completion targeted for September 2027. The project is expected to provide approximately 14,000 square metres of gross leasable area and create between 200 and 500 jobs.

    12 August 2026 · Mmegi

  3. Absa and Yellow Light Taxi Association expand digital payments

    Absa and the Yellow Light Taxi Association signed a Memorandum of Understanding to introduce digital payment solutions for taxi operators, aiming to help them build financial records and access business funding.

    12 August 2026 · Mmegi

  4. BoFiNet completes P43m fibre project across three villages

    BoFiNet has completed a P43 million local access fibre project connecting 191 customers across Moshupa, Ramotswa-Taung, and Thamaga, including businesses, government offices, and residential areas. The project created 210 jobs during construction.

    12 August 2026 · Mmegi

  5. President Boko blames Botswana Railways board for partnership delays

    President Duma Boko has blamed Botswana Railways' former board for frustrating a private-sector partnership he says could have helped return the loss-making parastatal to profitability.

    12 August 2026 · The Botswana Gazette

  6. Businessman Baaitse secures 25-year Botswana Railways freight deal

    Shadrack Baaitse has secured a new 25-year concession to expand Botswana Railways' freight capacity while settlement talks continue over his cancelled P25 million contract.

    12 August 2026 · The Botswana Gazette

  7. P1 billion Steve Harvey deal scrutinized for wasteful spending

    More than P1 billion committed to develop Botswana's creative economy under a Steve Harvey deal has instead flowed outside the country, becoming a symbol of squandered opportunity and questionable procurement practices five years later.

    12 August 2026 · The Botswana Gazette

  8. Vivo Energy Botswana opens new Shell service station in Tlokweng

    Vivo Energy Botswana has opened a new Shell Tlokweng service station as part of its strategy to expand its national retail network and provide quality fuels, lubricants, and convenience retail offerings to communities across Botswana.

    12 August 2026 · Weekend Post

  9. Finance Ministry seeks P85bn domestic bond ceiling

    The Ministry of Finance is seeking Parliament's approval to raise Botswana's domestic bond issuance ceiling to P85 billion, citing a global diamond market downturn that is squeezing government revenues and stating that the existing P55 billion programme is nearing exhaustion after years of heavy borrowing to finance widening budget deficits.

    12 August 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

  10. Air Botswana years behind on publishing audited financial statements

    Air Botswana's financial troubles extend beyond grounded aircraft and cancelled flights; the state-owned airline is years behind in publishing audited financial statements, raising transparency questions as it has spent hundreds of millions of pula on fleet renewal while posting operating losses.

    12 August 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

  11. Botswana and Nigeria launch high-level business forum

    Business leaders from Botswana and Nigeria gathered at a high-level business forum in Gaborone to explore opportunities for expanded bilateral trade, investment, and private-sector collaboration under the African Continental Free Trade Area framework. Officials called for targeted policy measures to create a more efficient trading environment and highlighted opportunities for value chain development and knowledge transfer between the two countries.

    12 August 2026 · Daily News Botswana

  12. De Beers, Higher Education Ministry partnership supports Batswana internships

    A partnership between the Ministry of Higher Education and De Beers Group is providing internships, international placements and skills development for young Batswana. Seven interns participated in 2025, eight in 2026 (five from TVET institutions), with some placed internationally in areas including polished diamonds, science and technology, and data analytics.

    12 August 2026 · Daily News Botswana

Agriculture & Land

  1. Government cannot clear land allocation waiting list in three years

    The Minister of Lands and Agriculture told Parliament that government cannot afford to clear the country's land allocation waiting list within three years, responding to a motion calling on government to commit to allocating plots to those on waiting lists within that timeframe. The minister said the proposal was neither practical nor achievable under the country's current financial and administrative constraints.

    12 August 2026 · Mmegi

  2. El Niño forecast to dominate Botswana's rainfall season

    The Environment and Tourism Minister told Parliament that El Niño weather conditions are already present and forecast to strengthen during the southern hemisphere summer, expected to dominate the country's rainfall season from October 2026 to March 2027.

    12 August 2026 · Mmegi

  3. Wildfires destroy 336,000 hectares, triple last year's toll

    Between April and July, wildfires destroyed 336,231.31 hectares across Botswana, an area more than twice the size of Gaborone. This represents a near 180 percent increase from the same period last year, when wildfires affected 120,410.50 hectares.

    12 August 2026 · Mmegi

  4. Nearly 440,000 Botswanans await residential plots amid crisis

    Botswana's housing and land crisis has reached alarming levels, with nearly 440,000 citizens waiting for residential plots while government admits it cannot say when the backlog will be cleared. The land allocation system is overwhelmed by demand and constrained by limited land, funding shortages, and inadequate infrastructure.

    12 August 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

  5. Ngamiland farmers welcome Namibia-Angola beef transit agreement

    Ngamiland cattle farmers have welcomed government's agreement with Namibia to allow beef from the region to transit through its territory into Angola, saying the breakthrough could revive cattle farming and improve the fortunes of the Botswana Meat Commission Maun abattoir.

    12 August 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

Society

  1. Batanani Walk elevates child safety to national priority

    At the eighth Mascom Baatanani Walk, an official said her office's Mpepu programme is founded on the belief that every child deserves an opportunity to thrive from the beginning of life, drawing the programme's name from a cultural image of a child carried securely on a mother's back.

    12 August 2026 · Mmegi

  2. BOTEPCO and UNICEF launch teacher digital literacy programme

    The Botswana Teaching Professionals Council (BOTEPCO) and UNICEF have launched a nationwide campaign to empower educators through digital literacy training, professional teaching standards, and a teacher code of ethics.

    12 August 2026 · Mmegi

  3. Three men charged in Sefophe woman's rape and murder

    Three men from Sefophe village are accused of sexually assaulting a woman on August 2 after finding her intoxicated, transporting her to multiple locations throughout the night, and abandoning her naked at Kanana Depot, where she was found dead on arrival at a clinic. Police suspect she may have been choked to death.

    12 August 2026 · Mmegi

  4. BDF officer hospitalised after throat injury in alleged attack

    A senior Botswana Defence Force officer sought medical attention at Mogoditshane BDF Clinic on Saturday and was transferred to Bokamoso Private Hospital, where he remains in critical condition. Police are investigating the incident but have yet to establish the circumstances, those responsible, or where the attack occurred.

    12 August 2026 · Mmegi

  5. Gantsi police seek suspect in nightclub stabbing incident

    A stabbing at a nightclub in Gantsi left one victim hospitalised in critical condition. Police say the incident began when one victim confronted the suspect over a pair of shoes that the suspect had allegedly taken.

    12 August 2026 · Mmegi

  6. Cooler box murder accused criticizes delays in trial

    Mogotsi, accused of robbing and fatally stabbing Magang outside Dladleng Entertainment Centre in 2015, expressed frustration in court over repeated postponements dating back years, including complaints about his own legal representation. Both the State and defence failed to file heads of argument as ordered, and the trial was postponed again with continuation set for the following day.

    12 August 2026 · Mmegi

  7. New employment law's success depends on implementation

    Botswana's reformed employment law, which consolidates three separate pieces of legislation, will be tested by how employers apply the law, whether employees understand their rights, and how labour institutions enforce the new standards.

    12 August 2026 · Mmegi

  8. Only three of 15 Boteti West primary schools have junior toilets

    Only three of Boteti West's 15 primary schools have purpose-built junior toilets, leaving reception class pupils in the remaining 12 schools sharing ablution facilities with older learners, despite government policy requiring age-appropriate sanitation, according to a parliamentary response by the Minister of Local Government and Traditional Affairs.

    12 August 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

  9. Vice President urges pupils to begin building futures now

    Vice President Gaolathe addressed pupils at Maikano Junior Secondary School, encouraging them to start planning their futures from a young age. He reflected on his own journey from Standard One to becoming Vice President, sharing how he studied mathematics and economics in the United States and worked in finance, urging the pupils to dream bigger and achieve more than he has.

    12 August 2026 · Daily News Botswana

  10. Minister calls for youth as active partners in government

    Youth and Gender Affairs Minister Lesego Chombo told Student Representative Council leaders that government should treat young people as active partners rather than passive beneficiaries, proposing an all-SRC consultative forum and a formal action register to track student concerns.

    12 August 2026 · Daily News Botswana

Culture

  1. Kearoma Rantao launches Zambezi Soul album with tribute performances

    Local songstress Kearoma Rantao unveiled her latest album, Zambezi Soul, at the Avani Gaborone Resort & Casino with an evening billed as "Rhythm Through the Ages" featuring tribute performances by local artists honouring icons of African jazz and global pop.

    12 August 2026 · Daily News Botswana

Sport

  1. PSG and Aston Villa contest UEFA Super Cup final

    Paris Saint-Germain, the UEFA Champions League holders and defending Super Cup champions, face Aston Villa, who won the UEFA Europa League. PSG enters as one of Europe's elite forces, while Villa arrives with confidence from their European success.

    12 August 2026 · Mmegi

  2. Villarreal travels to Racing Santander as La Liga season opens

    Villarreal, fresh from a strong 2025/26 campaign, begins the new La Liga season with an away match against newly promoted Racing Santander, who return to Spain's top flight after 14 years.

    12 August 2026 · Mmegi

  3. Botswana hosts Africa Aquatics Zone IV Championships

    Botswana will host the Africa Aquatics Zone IV Championships from September 2–5 at the University of Botswana pool, bringing over 315 swimmers and nearly 100 technical officials from 13 countries across the region. The four-day event is expected to boost local tourism and hospitality services in Gaborone.

    12 August 2026 · Daily News Botswana

  4. Molwantwa wins national junior featherweight boxing title

    Boxer George Molwantwa defeated Tshephang Gomotho in an 8-round match at Boipuso Multipurpose Hall to claim the national junior featherweight championship, with all three judges scoring the bout in his favour across every round.

    12 August 2026 · Daily News Botswana

World & Region

  1. PSG face Aston Villa in 2026 UEFA Super Cup

    Paris Saint-Germain, as UEFA Champions League holders and defending Super Cup champions, will face Aston Villa, the UEFA Europa League winners, in the 2026 UEFA Super Cup on 12 August in Salzburg. The match will be the first UEFA Super Cup held in Austria and the first major European final staged in the city.

    12 August 2026 · Weekend Post

Opinion

  1. New Employment Act criticized as ideologically driven, economically flawed

    An opinion piece in the Sunday Standard argues that the new Employment Act (Labour Relations Act), while protecting employee rights, ignores the price mechanism of labour and prioritizes ideology over economics, thereby failing to promote investment and job creation.

    12 August 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

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