Also known as: BDP · B.D.P.
Botswana Democratic Party — political party that governed Botswana from 1966 until 2024 election loss, now led by president Mpho Balopi facing criminal charges.
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
Botswana Sunday Standard
Sunday Standard Moti deal controversy escalates as BDP, BOPEU demand full disclosure The controversy surrounding the Government’s partnership with Africa Hero to develop schools, clinics and other public infrastructure is deepening with the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) and the …
Moti deal controversy escalates as BDP, BOPEU demand full disclosureMmegi
… Kenewendo previously served as a minister under former President Ian Khama’s Botswana Democratic Party administration. …
Kenewendo caught between alleged DCEC probe, push-outMmegi
… Those, he says, were difficult years for opposition activists, who faced what he described as intense political pressure from the then ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP). …
BNF mourns benign, fearless AkambakambaBotswana Sunday Standard
Sunday Standard There are no compelling reasons for Balopi to resign as leader of the BDP All indications are that the leader of the Botswana Democratic Party Mpho Balopi will have his day in court. …
There are no compelling reasons for Balopi to resign as leader of the BDPMmegi
… He wanted them to institute change and unseat the then dominant Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) from its stronghold since independence in 1966 until he was finally rewarded in 2014 after his three failed attempts.
Gobotswang: BCP’s primary parliamentary engineWeekend Post
… When the UDC swept to power in the 2024 general elections in a landslide that ended decades of Botswana Democratic Party dominance, Salakae’s political fortunes were transformed along with the country’s. …
The Fall of SalakaeWeekend Post
… The government, then under the long-ruling Botswana Democratic Party, refused, arguing that Gaoberekwe had not been resident in the reserve at the time of his death and that prior High Court and Court of Appeal rulings barred such burials. …
Gov’t concedes Gaoberekwe burial ruling sets precedent, framing it as restorative justiceMmegi
… Following the split, he and James Mathokgwane (now a civil servant) were among those who played a role in facilitating the return of the late Paul Rantao to the BNF.He also became popular in 2019 after it was alleged that the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) had stolen some ballot …
Salakae remains loyal amid BNF turmoilMmegi
Judge Mokwadi Gabanagae issued the order on July 24 after hearing an urgent application brought by Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) legislators namely Karabo Gare, Kagiso Mmusi, Mabuse Pule and Palelo Motaosane against the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) and its Secretary. …
BDP MPs to submit late election expense returnsWeekend Post
… Botswana’s political environment has long been characterized by dominance of the Botswana Democratic Party, which held power since independence until 2024. …
BCP Elective Congress 2026:Regional chairpersons within the Botswana Democratic Party are pressing party president Mpho Balopi to relinquish his position while he faces criminal charges.
12 October 2026 · Weekend Post →
Regional chairpersons within the Botswana Democratic Party are pressing party president Mpho Balopi to relinquish his position while he faces criminal charges.
12 October 2026 · Weekend Post →
The Sefhophe by-election has brought heightened political activity to the village, with the UDC, BDP, BCP, and BPF all contesting and attracting supporters and visitors. The increased campaign presence has boosted local traffic, accommodation demand, and business spending, while some residents have noted improvements in government services.
12 October 2026 · Mmegi →
The UDC government is weighing a proposal to dissolve Botswana's existing land boards and consolidate their authority into a single, centralised Land Commission. The timing coincides with the expiration of land board members' three-year terms, and the Ministry of Lands and Agriculture is studying the restructuring, though details remain unclear.
9 October 2026 · Weekend Post →
The Botswana People's Party (BPP) was founded in 1960 by Kgalemang Motsete, Phillip Matante, and Motsamai Mpho, not 1965 as textbooks claim. Though it did not participate in independence, the BPP was the first to petition Britain for Botswana's self-rule, with Matante lobbying the Queen and international forums in London and New York.
6 October 2026 · Daily News Botswana →
The BDP handed over cattle last week to settle a 17-cattle bill demanded by the Bangwato tribe over grievances from the party's time in power, including allegations it denied the tribe access to the kgotla and circumstances leading to the paramount chief's exile. The party had delivered seven cattle previously, with the latest delivery completing the outstanding payment.
30 September 2026 · Mmegi →
Veteran BDP members are privately urging party president Mpho Balopi to remain in his position despite mounting pressure for him to step aside following criminal charges filed against him by the Directorate of Public Prosecutions. The elders argue that only party structures that elected him may remove him from office.
29 September 2026 · Weekend Post →
BDP president Mpho Balopi has welcomed political support from party members but urged them not to involve themselves directly in his CEDA-linked criminal case.
27 September 2026 · The Botswana Gazette →
Chebani, known in Francistown and Nshakazhogwe, has moved from the Botswana Congress Party to the BNF, an affiliate of the Umbrella for Democratic Change. He cited widespread corruption allegations associated with the BDP as his reason for departing, though he noted that only a section of ministers and public servants were involved in alleged wrongdoing.
25 September 2026 · Mmegi →
The BDP's constitution does not provide an explicit standalone clause empowering the party congress to vote out its leader mid-term. Balopi remains in office despite calls from some party members for his resignation following fraud and money-laundering charges he is facing.
23 September 2026 · Mmegi →
BDP leader Balopi, facing fraud and money laundering charges, told party members in the Northwest region that legal troubles should not discourage them, and called for unity and reconciliation as the party prepares for the 2029 General Election.
23 September 2026 · Mmegi →
The Botswana Democratic Party is holding a three-day gathering to reflect on its structures, programmes, and policies following its 2024 election loss, with members expected to consider changes that could shape its future direction.
23 September 2026 · Mmegi →
S&P Global Ratings maintained Botswana's investment-grade sovereign rating at BBB- but kept a negative outlook, citing the country's heavy dependence on diamond exports and concern that weak global diamond demand will continue to constrain economic growth and government revenue.
17 September 2026 · Weekend Post →
BDP president Mpho Balopi and seven co-accused were granted bail on Wednesday after arraignment before the Broadhurst Regional Magistrates Court on seven criminal charges—two counts of fraud, one count of attempting to obtain by false pretence, and four counts of money laundering—arising from transactions involving the Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency.
16 September 2026 · Daily News Botswana →
The Botswana Democratic Party has not yet decided whether its president, Mpho Balopi, should temporarily step aside following corruption charges against him.
15 September 2026 · The Botswana Gazette →
The Botswana Democratic Party and Botswana Public Employees Union are separately demanding full disclosure of the Government's partnership with Africa Hero to develop schools, clinics and other public infrastructure, questioning Botswana's commitments, financial risks, and whether the arrangement has undergone proper public scrutiny.
14 September 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard →
Unconfirmed allegations have emerged that Minerals and Energy Minister Bogolo Kenewendo may be under investigation by the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime, reportedly concerning her role in De Beers negotiations and property acquisition in Phakalane. Kenewendo's office denied awareness of any investigation, and the DCEC has not publicly confirmed one.
14 September 2026 · Mmegi →
The Botswana National Front has mourned councillor Akambakamba, who contested the Notwane Ward in 2009 and 2019 and served on the party's central committee under founding president Kenneth Koma, Otsweletse Moupo, and Duma Boko. Regarded as an iconic activist and political mentor to generations, she stepped down from the central committee after the UDC's 2024 election victory and government formation.
11 September 2026 · Mmegi →
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 →
The BDP's executive secretary has received submissions from party members and structures proposing constitutional amendments, particularly to curtail the party president's powers in disciplinary proceedings. Members argue the president has excessive authority over disciplinary matters and want processes handled independently and transparently.
31 August 2026 · Mmegi →
Gobotswang used a slow-burning cow dung analogy to encourage constituents to unseat the dominant BDP, which had held power since 1966; his efforts were rewarded in 2014 after three failed attempts.
26 August 2026 · Mmegi →
Noah Salakae, recently a cabinet minister overseeing Transport and Infrastructure, is scheduled to appear before a magistrate court on August 28 on corruption charges following a DCEC investigation. The charges allege he received roughly 1.6 million pula in cash, a Toyota Fortuner valued at 575,000 pula, and bush-clearing services in exchange for influence over a 1.45 billion pula government contract awarded to Tau Grading and Construction for construction of the Ghanzi-New Xade road; Salakae has rejected all allegations.
25 August 2026 · Weekend Post →
Botswana's government told Parliament this week that allowing Pitseng Gaoberekwe to be buried in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve last December had set a precedent, framing the decision as "administrative mercy" and an act of restorative justice toward the San people. The government defended the move despite questions about whether it undermined court rulings or violated constitutional separation of powers.
24 August 2026 · Weekend Post →
Internal divisions remain unresolved in the BDP despite post-2024 election reunification efforts, with the women's wing chairperson race between Berry Heart and Goitse Phori increasingly becoming a broader struggle between competing camps. Party members have formed competing groups—"Bana ba party" and "Basireletsi ba party"—with tensions rising during regional women's structure elections, raising concerns about confrontations ahead of the October congress.
24 August 2026 · Mmegi →
Salakae, a senior BNF Member of Parliament and longstanding party activist since his youth, has remained loyal to the party through its turbulent periods, including the historical split with the Botswana Congress Party and recent internal turmoil.
21 August 2026 · Mmegi →
Judge Mokwadi Gabanagae granted an order on July 24 allowing four BDP MPs to submit their election expense returns after the 90-day statutory deadline, requiring submission within 30 days of the order or the relief lapses.
3 August 2026 · Mmegi →
Dr. Unity Dow, a former High Court judge and human rights advocate, was elected Vice President of the Botswana Congress Party at its elective congress in Mogoditshane during the President's Holidays in 2026, defeating Taolo Lucas by 100 votes (942 to 842). The close result and factional divisions within the party underscore ongoing tensions between competing leadership camps.
27 July 2026 · Weekend Post →
The Botswana government has rejected calls for an independent audit of the 2019 General Elections, despite persistent accusations from the Umbrella for Democratic Change that the polls were manipulated. Minister Moeti Mohwasa told Parliament the administration will focus on economic transformation and electoral reforms rather than revisiting past election controversies.
27 July 2026 · Weekend Post →
BCP leader Saleshando told party members that Botswana's political landscape has fundamentally changed, with voters now willing to use the ballot for political change, and urged the BCP to position itself as a credible alternative capable of national leadership rather than remain in opposition politics.
27 July 2026 · Mmegi →
Dow has been elected BCP vice president, marking a significant milestone for women's representation in Botswana's political leadership. She becomes the third woman to hold a vice presidential position in a political party, following Kathleen Letshabo and Same Bathobakae of the BNF.
24 July 2026 · Mmegi →
Delegates of the Botswana Congress Party will vote at a conference this weekend to choose between Lucas and Dow for one of the party's most important leadership positions. The outcome is expected to shape the BCP's next leadership and its preparations for the 2029 General Election.
17 July 2026 · Mmegi →