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Monday, 7 September 2026
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Monday, 7 September 2026
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Archive Minute from Monday, 7 September 2026
Politics

BDP president Balopi faces fraud charges over CEDA transactions

The News

Balopi, leader of the opposition BDP, faces criminal charges linked to alleged irregular Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA) transactions involving millions of pula. The Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime alleges that CEDA was deceived into releasing P669,842.11 for billboard work never executed, and that Balopi and a co-accused attempted to obtain P1.399 million using false documents.

7 September 2026 · Mmegi →

Politics

  1. BDP president Balopi faces fraud charges over CEDA transactions

    Balopi, leader of the opposition BDP, faces criminal charges linked to alleged irregular Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA) transactions involving millions of pula. The Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime alleges that CEDA was deceived into releasing P669,842.11 for billboard work never executed, and that Balopi and a co-accused attempted to obtain P1.399 million using false documents.

    7 September 2026 · Mmegi →

  2. BDP's candidate vetting process divides members before by-election

    The BDP's vetting process for primary candidates in an upcoming by-election has sparked internal discontent, with only two of five applicants approved to contest. Some party members are questioning the exclusion criteria and threatening not to support the party in the by-election, citing concerns of unfairness and favouritism in the vetting process.

    7 September 2026 · Mmegi →

  3. Opinion: Balopi should not resign as BDP leader pending charges

    An opinion piece argues there are no compelling reasons for Botswana Democratic Party leader Mpho Balopi to resign from his position, noting that he faces potential charges following a DCEC investigation and should be allowed to clear his name in court.

    7 September 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard →

  4. UDC picks Galebotse as consensus candidate for Sefhophe by-election

    The UDC selected Galebotse as its candidate for the Sefhophe by-election through a consensus process among three interested members, following the death of former councillor Christopher Motsholapheko. The party is seeking to maintain control of the ward.

    7 September 2026 · Mmegi →

  5. BCP names ex-councillor candidate for Sefophe parliamentary seat

    The Botswana Congress Party has selected a former councillor, Bagwasi, as its candidate to represent Sefophe at national level. The BCP spokesperson noted that Bagwasi previously sought the parliamentary seat in 2019 and views his political history as valuable as the party seeks to rebuild support in the area.

    7 September 2026 · Mmegi →

  6. Ex-De Beers CEO warns Botswana presidency holds too much power

    Former De Beers chief executive Sheila Khama has warned that the concentration of presidential power in Botswana could pose a deeper threat to democracy and human rights than current constitutional proposals under debate, arguing lawmakers should address what she sees as excessive executive authority vested in the presidency.

    7 September 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard →

  7. Keorapetse, Dow question Botswana's death penalty effectiveness

    National Assembly Speaker Dithapelo Keorapetse and Botswana Congress Party Vice President Unity Dow have questioned whether executions deter violent crime and whether the state should continue taking the lives of convicted offenders, calling for an "honest conversation" about capital punishment's purpose.

    7 September 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard →

  8. Bermuda tightens visa requirements for Botswana passport holders

    Bermuda has placed Botswana among nationalities subject to stricter visa requirements, adding to international border control tightening and concerns over the Botswana passport's standing abroad at a time when the government prepares to introduce a new citizenship scheme.

    7 September 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard →

  9. DPP rejects Khama's bid to privately prosecute Hubona

    The Directorate of Public Prosecutions has rejected former president Ian Khama's bid to launch a private prosecution against Jako Hubona, an investigator at the centre of Botswana's P100 billion case.

    7 September 2026 · Weekend Post →

  10. High Court bars GUC law graduates from Botswana bar exams

    Gaborone High Court ruled against Gaborone University College of Law and Professional Studies, barring its law graduates from sitting the Law Society of Botswana bar examinations. The court sided with the LSB, which argued that GUC's franchised Leeds Beckett University qualifications do not meet the Legal Practitioners Act requirement for law practice in Botswana.

    7 September 2026 · Weekend Post →

  11. Budget deficit narrowed to P16.34 billion for 2025/2026

    The Finance Ministry reported a budget deficit of P16.34 billion for the 2025/2026 fiscal year, a significant improvement from the previously projected deficit of P25.48 billion, according to preliminary figures released by the Bank of Botswana.

    7 September 2026 · Weekend Post →

Business

  1. Botswana firms rush to file constitutions before deadline

    Companies across Botswana are scrambling to adopt and file constitutions before 30 September 2026, a requirement introduced through amendments to the Companies Act, with non-compliance risking removal from the company register.

    7 September 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard →

  2. Botswana's economic freedom score falls sharply

    The Heritage Foundation's 2026 Index of Economic Freedom recorded a sharp deterioration in Botswana's economic freedom score, with weak business dynamism threatening diversification beyond diamonds.

    7 September 2026 · The Botswana Gazette →

  3. BTC targets P1.7bn revenue with AI and network focus

    Botswana Telecommunications Corporation is targeting P1.7 billion in revenue and EBITDA above 35 percent through network investment, artificial intelligence, and digital services, following a 1.6 percent revenue decline.

    7 September 2026 · The Botswana Gazette →

  4. Air Botswana appoints Dubai consultant for aircraft leasing

    Air Botswana has announced plans to appoint Dubai-based aviation consultancy ACC Aviation ME FZCO as its aircraft lease consultant through direct procurement.

    7 September 2026 · Weekend Post →

  5. Standard Chartered Botswana profit expected to rise P22–36m

    Standard Chartered Bank Botswana expects profit before tax for the six months ended 30 June 2026 to increase by between P22 million and P36 million compared with the same period in the prior year, prompting a BSE cautionary announcement.

    7 September 2026 · The Botswana Gazette →

  6. Dangote urges Africa to finance its own industrialization

    At a Capital Markets and Institutional Investors Roundtable in Botswana, Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote called on African nations and businesses to lead the continent's industrial development rather than rely on foreign investors, emphasizing that African capital must fund large-scale projects and that the continent must move away from exporting raw materials.

    7 September 2026 · Weekend Post →

  7. UB launches seed fund to improve innovation coordination

    The University of Botswana has identified poor coordination among institutions as the main barrier preventing local innovations from reaching the market, and has launched a Technology Development Seed Fund to support prototyping and testing of innovations while working to create a streamlined pipeline connecting research, infrastructure, funding, and commercialization.

    7 September 2026 · Weekend Post →

  8. Botswana's new tax rule targets residents' offshore income

    A controlled foreign entity rule embedded in Botswana's rewritten Income Tax Act, effective 1 July 2026, requires residents who control low-tax foreign entities to pay tax on qualifying passive income earned by those entities as if the residents had earned it themselves. The rule applies to residents holding directly or indirectly 50 percent or more membership interest in foreign entities.

    7 September 2026 · Weekend Post →

  9. BETP shifts economic focus from planning to project delivery

    Botswana's Economic Transformation Programme has identified 186 priority projects across nine sectors targeting P514 billion in cumulative investment and 512,000 jobs by 2036, with initial efforts focused on removing obstacles to investment execution in areas including land access, financing, regulation, and infrastructure.

    7 September 2026 · Weekend Post →

  10. Bank of Botswana stress tests show managed real estate risks

    The Bank of Botswana's stress tests confirm that commercial real estate lending risks remain stable under moderate conditions, though vulnerabilities emerge in extreme scenarios. Deputy Governor Kealeboga Masalila said risks are mitigated through banks' internal controls, regulatory oversight, and collateral such as mortgages.

    7 September 2026 · Weekend Post →

  11. Pula stability requires economic reform beyond monetary policy

    Vice President and Finance Minister Ndaba Gaolathe warned that Botswana cannot indefinitely defend the Pula through monetary measures alone while the economy remains heavily reliant on diamonds. He said the prolonged downturn in the global diamond sector has exposed long-recognised vulnerabilities and that monetary policy alone cannot provide a permanent shield for the currency.

    7 September 2026 · Weekend Post →

  12. Botswana consumer spending to fall by P1.3 billion in 2026

    Business Monitor International forecasts household expenditure in Botswana will decline by 1.0 percent to P131.2 billion in 2026, driven by economic headwinds including sluggish growth, persistent unemployment at 24.4 percent, and tighter credit conditions, with a modest recovery of 1.3 percent projected for 2027.

    7 September 2026 · Weekend Post →

  13. Chobe Business Expo connects enterprises to regional markets

    The Chobe Business Expo 2026 in Kazungula brought together local businesses to showcase products, meet customers, and build partnerships. The Minister of Trade and Entrepreneurship highlighted Chobe's strategic location as an economic frontier for agribusiness, tourism, and regional trade, urging entrepreneurs to embrace markets, technology, and consistency.

    7 September 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Mining & Energy

  1. Botswana launches billions-pula energy overhaul for regional dominance

    President Duma Boko inaugurated a 500-megawatt solar plant in Maun in April and declared Botswana's intention to become a regional energy hub. The government is simultaneously refurbishing coal plants, building solar-plus-battery storage, constructing transmission lines to neighboring states, and erecting fuel depots—projects requiring billions of pula—as it seeks to reduce dependence on costly electricity imports that have long constrained the 2.4 million-person nation.

    7 September 2026 · Weekend Post →

  2. KP Energy to develop nearly 5-GW renewable capacity in Botswana

    India's KP Group has signed a memorandum of understanding worth an estimated US$4 billion with Botswana's government to develop renewable energy capacity of nearly 5 gigawatts, more than eight hundred times the roughly 6 megawatts of installed renewable capacity the country had in 2021. The project, facilitated by BITC, marks KP Group's first major expansion beyond India.

    7 September 2026 · Weekend Post →

Agriculture & Land

  1. FMD outbreak escalates in Botswana's Southern Region

    Foot-and-mouth disease is spreading in southern Botswana, with two new outbreaks recorded in Ngwaketse South area in early August involving 113 clinical cases among 1,140 susceptible cattle. The disease continues to threaten the country's beef export sector.

    7 September 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard →

  2. Okavango farmers cite weak market structures limiting horticulture growth

    Farmers in Botswana's Okavango region say limited and poorly structured markets are preventing them from expanding horticultural production despite having adequate land, water, and capacity. The Okavango Horticulture Farmers Association, representing more than 60 of an estimated 140 horticultural producers in the district, reports that farmers base production decisions on what they believe they can sell rather than on market demand, forcing them toward lower-value crops like rape instead of higher-value options such as tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and butternuts.

    7 September 2026 · Weekend Post →

Society

  1. High Court defers GUC law graduates' LSB registration dispute

    The High Court has found genuine factual disputes in a case where the Law Society of Botswana (LSB) refused to register graduates of the GUC/Leeds Beckett LLB programme for the June 2026 Bar Examinations, citing concerns raised by a BQA audit into the programme's delivery and quality assurance. The court did not decide whether the LSB was justified in excluding the graduates, leaving the matter unresolved.

    7 September 2026 · Mmegi →

  2. Justice dismisses challenge to LSB's rejection of law graduates

    A High Court judge dismissed an application by 21 Leeds Beckett University law graduates who were refused registration for the June 2026 Bar Examinations by the Law Society of Botswana (LSB). The LSB says its authority to scrutinise law qualifications comes from the Legal Practitioners Act and Regulations, while the graduates argued the Society exceeded its powers by creating an additional requirement not in the Act.

    7 September 2026 · Mmegi →

  3. Honey Guide Trust threatens contempt against BDF and police chiefs

    Botswana Police Commissioner Dinah Marathe and BDF Commander General Mpho Mophuting face potential imprisonment if Honey Guide Trust's demands are not met, following a dispute over resource-sharing in the NG32 area near Ditshiping village.

    7 September 2026 · Mmegi →

  4. Expert report questions GUC law degree suitability for practice

    Professor Danwood Chirwa of the University of Cape Town has issued a 28-page expert opinion commissioned by the Law Society of Botswana that critically analyses the Gaborone University College of Law's Bachelor of Laws degree, questioning aspects of the programme while the Law Society continues defending its refusal to permit GUC-Leeds Beckett University graduates to sit Bar examinations.

    7 September 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard →

  5. President Boko unveils modern school despite bureaucratic resistance

    President Advocate Duma Boko unveiled the Duma Boko School at Block 7 in Gaborone on Saturday, a flagship project built by Jindal Power and serving as the inaugural site for African Hero, a pan-African initiative to expand access to education, healthcare and skills development. Boko said internal government resistance, including obstruction of features like a swimming pool, delayed the project despite the funding coming from non-government sources.

    7 September 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

  6. UB and Destination Imagination train youth in technology skills

    The University of Botswana and Destination Imagination have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to train 10,000 young Batswana in technology skills over six months, including cybersecurity, cloud computing, data hygiene, and artificial intelligence, alongside soft skills and entrepreneurship. The initiative is funded through a P1.2 billion job-creation fund and involves partnerships with technology companies and government ministries aimed at improving youth employability.

    7 September 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

  7. Water production falls 0.6 percent in first quarter

    Botswana's physical volume of water production fell by 0.6 percent in the first quarter of 2026 to 31,333,459 kilolitres, from 31,511,986 kilolitres in the fourth quarter of 2025. Gaborone 1 and the North region together supplied 54 percent of the country's output.

    7 September 2026 · The Botswana Gazette →

Culture

  1. Government launches P200 million creative economy fund

    The Government is near releasing a P200 million fund aimed at supporting Botswana's creative sector, which has been facing financial pressure despite industry achievements and celebrations.

    7 September 2026 · The Botswana Gazette →

  2. Born and Raised erects monument to musician ATI Molemogi

    A monument is being placed at the grave of Atlasaone Molemogi, known as ATI, a Botswana musician and cultural figure, in a collaboration between his family and the lifestyle brand Born and Raised. The initiative honours ATI's legacy as a cultural architect who reshaped Batswana performance and creative expression.

    7 September 2026 · Weekend Post →

  3. Minister: heritage key to dynamic creative economy

    Minister of Sport and Arts Jacob Kelebeng told the Dithubaruba Cultural Festival in Molepolole that culture is the foundation for a dynamic creative economy and national identity. He praised the Ntsweng Heritage Hub as a strategic cultural resource and permanent cultural precinct aligned with government efforts to revitalise cultural infrastructure and build sustainable cultural tourism destinations.

    7 September 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

  4. Franco-Tanzanian dance-theatre production arrives in Gaborone

    PEPONI, a 60-minute Franco-Tanzanian dance-theatre production, is bringing a performance to Gaborone that explores what paradise might look like if Africans stopped waiting for it and started imagining it.

    7 September 2026 · The Botswana Gazette →

Sport

  1. Overlooked netball captain finds redemption through Queensland selections

    Sarona Hans, a former Botswana under-21 netball team captain, was sidelined from national representation for over six years while playing in Australia's indoor netball circuit. After gaining consecutive selections for Queensland and being elected Player of the Series, she eventually achieved national selection in 2025.

    7 September 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard →

  2. Safeguarding momentum in Botswana sport questioned

    A 2022 turning point saw Botswana's Sport Management Agency launch safeguarding awareness initiatives involving stakeholders including sporting associations, government, and media to protect athletes and participants.

    7 September 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard →

  3. Township Rollers faces financial crisis under new leadership

    Township Rollers, one of Botswana's most prominent football clubs, faced debts exceeding seven million Pula, a FIFA transfer ban, and player exodus when Thapelo Pabalinga took the chair in January. The club's previous financier, Tendai Sebata, took on debts in the club's name and then disappeared, leaving bills unpaid.

    7 September 2026 · Weekend Post →

  4. Arsenal comeback beats Chelsea 2-1 at Emirates Stadium

    Arsenal came from behind to defeat Chelsea 2-1 at the Emirates on Sunday. Morgan Rogers had given Chelsea an early lead, but Arsenal responded with two goals to secure the victory.

    7 September 2026 · Weekend Post →

  5. Botswana junior Raguin qualifies for US Open main draw

    Ntungamili Raguin has qualified for the US Open Junior Boys main draw in New York after defeating America's Izyan Ahmad 7-5, 7-6 (9) in the qualification match. The Botswana Tennis Association president says Raguin's achievement in reaching multiple Grand Slam main draws is inspirational for young players in the country.

    7 September 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

  6. Kebinatshipi breaks three records at Diamond League final

    Botswana's Collen Kebinatshipi won the 400m Diamond League title at the Allianz Memorial Van Damme final in Brussels with a time of 43.40 seconds, breaking the Meeting Record, National Record, and Diamond League Record. He became the second African man to win the Diamond League 400m title, following Isaac Makwala.

    7 September 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

  7. Gaborone United seeks away win at Young Africans

    Gaborone United travel to Tanzania for the return leg of their CAF Champions League preliminary round tie against Young Africans, needing an away win after conceding a late equaliser in Saturday's 1-1 first-leg draw at home. With the aggregate score tied, Yanga hold a slight advantage via the away-goals rule.

    7 September 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

World & Region

  1. US officials approve assistance package for Botswana

    US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent have initiated approval of an assistance package worth millions of dollars to Botswana under a 'democracy dividends' program, according to a report submitted to Congress on August 31.

    7 September 2026 · Weekend Post →

  2. Botswana woman released from Bangladesh death row after four years

    Lesedi Molapisi, a Botswana woman who spent more than four years on death row in a Bangladeshi prison, has been released. Two competing narratives—one of diplomatic grace and one of judicial exoneration—surround the circumstances of her freedom.

    7 September 2026 · Weekend Post →

  3. Boko's Angola visit aims to strengthen economic cooperation

    President Advocate Duma Boko's State Visit to Angola is expected to unlock opportunities for mutually beneficial economic and commercial cooperation and deepen ties between the two countries. The Presidents are expected to discuss programmes to strengthen trade and investment linkages in mining, energy, transport, food security, tourism and regional connectivity, and to witness the signing of a Bi-National Commission agreement.

    7 September 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Opinion

  1. Botswana should develop workforce as next strategic resource

    Botswana's success has been built on disciplined management of natural resources; the country now has an opportunity to become recognised for developing a capable, adaptable and innovative workforce, with the next chapter defined by people development rather than resource discovery.

    7 September 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard →

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