Also known as: BDF
Botswana's armed forces, appearing in coverage of national security, infrastructure projects, sports competitions, and institutional modernisation.
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
Botswana Sunday Standard
… A whistle-blower report has exposed the hidden economics of America’s donations of C-130 aircraft to Botswana Defence Force (BDF) and how Botswana may have fallen into a multi-billion Pula financial trap. …
Gift or golden handcuffs?Daily News Botswana
… Also, the Botswana Defence Force promised to increase officers on the ground. Updating the National Emergency Command Centre team, District Agricultural coordinator Mr Phetogo Molefi-Tshuma said the locals were cooperative and lending a helping hand. …
Cordon fence construction on trackMmegi
… Despite attempts by Botswana Defence Force (BDF) Commander, General Mpho Mophuting's efforts to bring peace within karate, there is still a long, rough road ahead.The BDF Open Karate Championship saw 636 karatekas take part, whilst Ngwana wa Mo Africa, organised by Nihon Karate K …
Clash of events exposes karate cracksThe Botswana Gazette
Elite Botswana Defence Force-linked club SSKB Karate Club delivered a commanding performance at the BDF Karate Open Championships, sweeping multiple titles at the UB Indoor Sports Arena in a showcase marked by high-level competition, discipline and national participation GAZETTE …
SSKB Sweeps Karate OpenDaily News Botswana
The Botswana Defence Force (BDF) has committed to phasing out asbestos accommodation and offices at its camps, and relocating personnel to safer facilities. …
BDF To Phase Out Asbestos CampsMmegi
… One such individual is Botswana Defence Force (BDF) Commander, General Mpho Mophuting.The head of military, who is also a highly respected Sensei, told Sport Monitor that when he learnt about the instability in karate, he took it upon himself to change all that.
Gen Mophuting preaches peace in karateThe Botswana Gazette
Championship aims to strengthen karate development, competitive exposure, and talent pathways across Botswana GAZETTE REPORTER The Botswana Defence Force Karate Open Championships scheduled for 20 June 2026 are set to bring together karate athletes from across Botswana in a natio …
BDF Karate Open SetMmegi
… ugly truth was dragged into the open at the Mokatako Kgotla men’s conference on 11 June, and the village has decided it has seen enough.Kgosi Omphitlhetse Manyeneng and Deputy Kgosi Tshepo Mosweu presided over the meeting, alongside representatives from the Botswana Defence Force …
Pension pay-day ‘girlfriends’ cautionedDaily News Botswana
The Botswana Defence Force (BDF), Botswana Police Service (BPS) and Botswana Prisons Service (BPS) traded their operational gear for sport jerseys on Friday, joining forces for the annual Joint Law Enforcement Games in Francistown. …
Law enforcement agencies unite in purposeDaily News Botswana
… But as we tried to join the main road, the shadows materialised into a troop from the Botswana Defence Force (BDF). …
Shadows of the Gaborone raid still linger 41 years laterA whistle-blower report presented to the Public Accounts Committee on Defence and Finance has exposed that the C-130 aircraft transferred to the Botswana Defence Force represent a lifecycle commitment rather than a straightforward donation, potentially creating a multi-billion Pula financial obligation for Botswana.
14 July 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard →
A whistle-blower report presented to the Public Accounts Committee on Defence and Finance has exposed that the C-130 aircraft transferred to the Botswana Defence Force represent a lifecycle commitment rather than a straightforward donation, potentially creating a multi-billion Pula financial obligation for Botswana.
14 July 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard →
A 350-kilometre veterinary cordon fence being constructed from Ramotswa to Werda to contain Foot and Mouth Disease is on track following its June 27 launch. The National Disaster Management Office director reported considerable progress and confirmed the Botswana Prisons Service and Defence Force will provide additional manpower to support the project.
11 July 2026 · Daily News Botswana →
The BDF men's basketball team is preparing to advance to a tournament after the women's side did not qualify. Coach Tebogo Makačana said the men have a responsibility to compensate for the women's performance and that the team finished preparations ready to compete.
3 July 2026 · Mmegi →
Police IX Ladies Softball Club secured qualification for the Selibe Phikwe Softball Extravaganza after surviving elimination matches at the National Diamond Grounds, edging rivals BDF and keeping their title defence alive.
1 July 2026 · The Botswana Gazette →
The inaugural BDF Open Karate Championship and a competing tournament called 'Ngwana wa Mo Africa' took place at the same time, revealing ongoing divisions within Botswana's karate community despite efforts by BDF Commander General Mpho Mophuting to unite the sport.
26 June 2026 · Mmegi →
The Botswana Defence Force-linked SSKB Karate Club won multiple titles at the BDF Karate Open Championships held at the UB Indoor Sports Arena.
24 June 2026 · The Botswana Gazette →
The Botswana Defence Force has committed to relocating personnel from asbestos structures at Paje and Pandamatenga Base Camps by next year, with full dismantling and disposal targeted for completion within three years. The project is estimated to cost around P41 million and will require engagement of a foreign company, though it was not budgeted for the current financial year due to fiscal challenges.
24 June 2026 · Daily News Botswana →
Botswana Defence Force Commander General Mpho Mophuting, a respected Sensei, has stepped in to address instability affecting the sport after learning of the problems.
23 June 2026 · Mmegi →
At the official opening of the BDF Karate Open Championships at UB Indoor Sports Arena, General Mophuting called for karate leadership to unite across federations and styles, appealing to coaches to revive the sport's founding principles and elevate karate to its former glory.
22 June 2026 · Daily News Botswana →
The Botswana Defence Force Karate Open Championships scheduled for 20 June 2026 aim to bring together karate athletes from across Botswana in a national competition focused on development, discipline, and performance.
17 June 2026 · The Botswana Gazette →
A men's conference in Mokatako village on 11 June brought attention to the issue of women exploiting elderly pensioners, with local leadership and BDF representatives in attendance deciding the village has had enough of the practice.
16 June 2026 · Mmegi →
The Botswana Defence Force, Police Service, and Prisons Service competed in the annual Joint Law Enforcement Games in Francistown on Friday to strengthen collaboration and unity. The BDF won the overall championship, followed by police in second place and prisons in third.
15 June 2026 · Daily News Botswana →
A BOPA reporter reflects on personal memories of the June 14, 1985 South African Defence Force raid on Gaborone, an event that changed Botswana and whose impact still resonates for those who lived through it.
15 June 2026 · Daily News Botswana →
On June 14, 1985, Operation Plecksy—a cross-border raid by the South African Defence Force hunting anti-apartheid activists—killed at least 12 people in Gaborone's Bontleng neighbourhood. The Botswana Defence Force's restrained response in the hours that followed is credited with preventing escalation to full-scale war.
15 June 2026 · Daily News Botswana →
The Botswana Defence Force Retired Members Association has authorized a peaceful protest over delayed Transfer Value Enhancement payments and unmet government promises. About 3,500 retired soldiers have received benefits since 2024, but an estimated 2,500 beneficiaries are still waiting.
9 June 2026 · Weekend Post →
Simon Hirschfeld, Botswana's first Motswana Police Commissioner who served 39 years in law enforcement and spent 24 years leading the Botswana Police Service, was buried at Phomolong Memorial Park in Gaborone with a traditional police funeral ceremony.
9 June 2026 · Daily News Botswana →
Pilane, transferred from the corruption unit to the Botswana Defence Force, has issued notice of intention to sue the government and several public officials, claiming authorities failed to investigate threats against him and alleged leakage of confidential information that he says exposed him to danger.
8 June 2026 · Mmegi →
Tshepo Pilane, former Acting Director General of the DCEC, has filed a notice of intention to sue the government, alleging unlawful demotion and failure to investigate death threats. He claims a conspiracy by senior officials during his tenure investigating senior figures, including the former Permanent Secretary to the President and the Director General of the DIS.
2 June 2026 · Weekend Post →
Botswana Defence Force Commander General Mpho Mophuting unveiled a strategic roadmap for 2025-2029 aimed at transforming the military into a modern, agile force capable of responding to evolving security threats through modernisation, innovation and continuous learning.
2 June 2026 · Daily News Botswana →
President Duma Boko has issued a stern warning to members of the Botswana Defence Force against gender-based violence and femicide, cautioning that acts of violence stain the army's image and undermine it.
1 June 2026 · The Botswana Gazette →
Mephato (community patrols) at the village level are taking a frontline role in fighting foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) alongside the Department of Veterinary Services, marshalling farmers to participate in vaccination activities. Mophato wa Mabeleakgomo from Mokatako and Molete villages, formed in 2023 by villagers led by Kgosi Omphitlhetse Manyeneng, have committed to protecting their territory.
1 June 2026 · Mmegi →
At the 21st BDF Strategic Conference, Boko said members of the disciplined forces are trained to protect lives, not take them in non-combat situations, and stressed that lethal force skills should never be used against civilians or intimate partners.
26 May 2026 · Mmegi →
President Duma Boko has called for zero tolerance on gender-based violence within the Botswana Defence Force, urging service members to exercise restraint, discipline and emotional maturity when handling personal conflicts. Speaking at the 21st BDF Strategic Conference, he stressed that emotional and social challenges must never escalate to violence, particularly against women and children, and reminded officers that their specialised training must never be turned against civilians.
25 May 2026 · Daily News Botswana →
President Advocate Duma Boko has called for a modernised, disciplined and ethically grounded Botswana Defence Force capable of responding to evolving security threats including technology, cyber threats, organised crime and non-state actors. He said a comprehensive national security strategy is being developed to strengthen coordination and resilience.
25 May 2026 · Daily News Botswana →
At the 21st BDF Strategic Conference in Gaborone, President Boko urged the Botswana Defence Force leadership to embrace innovation, strategic foresight, and institutional adaptability to address complex security threats including cyber threats, technological disruption, and transnational organised crime amid fiscal constraints.
25 May 2026 · Daily News Botswana →
Former Lesotho Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili has credited the late former President Festus Mogae with playing a crucial role in preserving peace and stability in Lesotho during political unrest following the country's 1998 elections, working through SADC and supporting the Botswana Defence Force's intervention.
16 May 2026 · Daily News Botswana →
Serowe residents cleaned and repaired the village ahead of body viewing ceremonies for the late former president at the main Kgotla, with security and ceremonial arrangements coordinated by the Botswana Defence Force, Botswana Police Service, and tribal leaders. Kgosi Bakae Khumo said the community is working with the family to give Mogae the respect and dignity he deserves.
15 May 2026 · Mmegi →
More than 500 current and former Botswana Defence Force members were honoured on Thursday during the 49th Medal Awards Parade for outstanding service and conduct. A total of 528 personnel received medals across five categories: 134 with the Duty Code Order, 297 with the Pearl Jubilee Medal, 84 with the Distinguished Service Medal, and 13 with the Foreign Service Medal.
4 May 2026 · Daily News Botswana →