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Tuesday, 7 July 2026
Botswana’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Tuesday, 7 July 2026
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Botswanan press · Organization

Botswana Democratic Party

Also known as: BDP

Botswana's largest opposition party since 2024, contesting by-elections and responding to government audits under President Mpho Balopi.

2026-05-122026-07-07
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In coverage

Verbatim sentences from the source article.

  1. May 2026

  2. Weekend Post

    Former President Mokgweetsi Masisi opened up this week about the forces, both outside and within his party, that led to his stunning defeat in the 2024 general elections, which saw the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) lose control of the government for the first time in nearly six …

    Masisi reflects on losing power
Agriculture & Land

Former BDP candidate claims loss of prime Hika La Ngwanyana land

The News

Rev. Dr. Rupert Hambira, former BDP parliamentary candidate for Gaborone Central, has lodged a formal complaint to Bakgatla Ba Ga Mmanaana Kgosi Oscar Mosielele regarding the loss of his one-hectare piece of land adjacent to Hika La Ngwanyana dam, alleging it was taken under pretext of developments that have not materialized and that he was dissatisfied with the process and handling of his concerns.

Why it matters

The dispute over Hika La Ngwanyana land allocation raises accountability questions about land administration and property rights affecting citizens' livelihoods.

3 hours ago · Weekend Post →

Today

  1. Former BDP candidate claims loss of prime Hika La Ngwanyana land

    Rev. Dr. Rupert Hambira, former BDP parliamentary candidate for Gaborone Central, has lodged a formal complaint to Bakgatla Ba Ga Mmanaana Kgosi Oscar Mosielele regarding the loss of his one-hectare piece of land adjacent to Hika La Ngwanyana dam, alleging it was taken under pretext of developments that have not materialized and that he was dissatisfied with the process and handling of his concerns.

    3 hours ago · Weekend Post →

Yesterday

  1. BDP president rescinds Moyo's membership reinstatement over party constitution

    BDP President Mpho Balopi has rescinded an earlier decision to restore Samson Guma Moyo's membership, asserting in a June 30 letter that Moyo automatically forfeited membership by joining another political party and that only the Central Committee can consider readmission applications under the party constitution.

    21 hours ago · Weekend Post →

Monday 29 June

  1. BCP's Gobotswang shifts focus to national politics, fueling Maite succession speculation

    Veteran BCP MP Dr. Kesitegile Gobotswang is moving away from constituency-focused politics toward national campaign coordination ahead of the 2029 elections, while the party pursues a "Going South" campaign to expand into southern regions where it has struggled. This shift has raised speculation that Emmanuel Maite may emerge as a successor in Tswapong South.

    29 June 2026 · Weekend Post →

  2. BDP considering response to complaint against Masisi

    The Botswana Democratic Party is weighing its options following a complaint filed against former President Mokgweetsi Masisi by Moshupa Kgosi Oscar Mosielele.

    29 June 2026 · Weekend Post →

Tuesday 23 June

  1. BDP draws encouragement from Tati by-election second place

    In the Tati by-election, the UDC won with 335 votes while the BDP came second with 299 votes. BDP Secretary General Kentse Rammidi said the party sees the result as a sign of gradual revival and rejected claims that the BDP has become politically irrelevant.

    23 June 2026 · Mmegi →

  2. UDC widens Tati Siding ward victory to 36-vote margin

    In a by-election, the UDC candidate won 335 votes (37.6%) in Tati Siding, defeating the BDP's 299 votes (33.5%) and increasing the coalition's winning margin from one vote in the 2024 general election to 36 votes. The UDC gained 14 additional votes compared with the general election, demonstrating stronger voter confidence.

    23 June 2026 · Mmegi →

Sunday 21 June

  1. UDC retains Tatisiding North ward with 335 votes

    UDC candidate Keitumetse Tlhalerwa won the Tatisiding North Ward by-election on June 20 with 335 votes, increasing the party's margin from the 2024 general election when UDC won by one vote. The by-election followed the death of UDC Councillor Parkie Pius.

    21 June 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Monday 15 June

  1. Tati North by-election margin hinges on party unity

    The UDC and BDP face challenges rallying members who lost primary elections in Tati North, where historically narrow electoral margins mean that alleged internal divisions could significantly affect the outcome.

    15 June 2026 · Mmegi →

Wednesday 10 June

  1. Artist Wame Bodutu celebrates African culture through visual art

    Wame Bodutu, an Afrocentric visual artist from Molepolole, has pursued art since primary school in 2008 and graduated from the University of Botswana with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 2024. After mentorship from artists Bezuba Kaunda and Rodney Keitemoge, she has moved into mural painting and sold artworks, inspiring other women to pursue creative careers.

    10 June 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Tuesday 9 June

  1. BPS denies elite crime unit shutdown amid scaling-back reports

    The Botswana Police Service has rejected claims that the City Police Unit (CPU), launched in December 2023, has been suspended, though sources say the government has quietly scaled back the initiative since the UDC took office in 2024, citing resource shortages and a reported shift toward the Safer City Project.

    9 June 2026 · Weekend Post →

Wednesday 3 June

  1. UDC's Tshere re-elected with record 73% vote share

    Politician Tshere was re-elected with 73% of the vote and a 58-percentage-point margin of victory, the highest vote share and margin attained by a non-BDP candidate in Botswana's electoral history. The UDC recorded a substantial 21-percentage-point increase in its vote share compared to the 2019 election.

    3 June 2026 · Mmegi →

Tuesday 2 June

  1. Tati Siding North by-election shaping up as closely contested race

    The Tati Siding North ward proved highly competitive in the 2024 General Election, with the UDC winning by just one vote (321) over the BDP (320), followed by the BCP (283) and BRP (211), indicating no clear favourite for the upcoming by-election.

    2 June 2026 · Mmegi →

  2. BDP rumors suggest Makgato and Greef swapping constituencies

    Buzz within Botswana Democratic Party circles suggests former MPs Dorcas Makgato and Christian Ntuba Greef are effectively swapping their political bases.

    2 June 2026 · Weekend Post →

Monday 25 May

  1. Ntsima uses politics to improve lives, especially youth

    A parliamentary member and Minister of Trade and Entrepreneurship says his conviction that politics must serve to improve people's lives—especially young people, entrepreneurs, and ordinary communities—was shaped by university experience and civil society work. His background in business consulting has reinforced his belief that government should make it easier for citizens to start and grow businesses.

    25 May 2026 · Mmegi →

Friday 22 May

  1. BDP politician Seretse refuses intimidation in party politics

    Within the BDP, Seretse has fought numerous political battles, distinguished by her refusal to be intimidated by pressure from within party structures or the public. The article notes that unlike many politicians who soften their voices, Seretse has consistently chosen blunt honesty over silence.

    22 May 2026 · Mmegi →

Wednesday 20 May

  1. Festus Mogae entered presidency as technocrat amid factional tension

    On 1 April 1998, Festus Mogae succeeded Sir Ketumile Masire as president of Botswana, entering the role as a respected technocrat but uncertain politician surrounded by rivals and factional intrigue.

    20 May 2026 · Weekend Post →

  2. Kgafela misses May 21 deadline for Botswana return

    Kgafela, who had announced a May 2030 return date in May 2024, will miss the May 21 deadline he had set. In a December 2024 virtual address to Bakgatla at Mochudi Kgotla, he stated he was now able to visit Botswana before his previously announced date, following the downfall of the Botswana Democratic Party.

    20 May 2026 · Mmegi →

  3. Seakgosing remembered for humility and public service

    Speakers at Seakgosing's funeral paid tribute to his grounded character and dedication to serving people with humility despite his achievements as a diplomat, government official, and Member of Parliament for Thamaga.

    20 May 2026 · Mmegi →

  4. Political leaders unite to honour Mogae at State funeral

    Leaders from across Botswana's political divide set aside rivalry to honour former president Mogae at his State funeral. Former cabinet minister Tebelelo Seretse publicly thanked President Duma Boko for the dignified send-off, describing it as a meaningful gesture for the BDP despite ongoing political differences.

    20 May 2026 · Mmegi →

Monday 18 May

  1. Former president Festus Mogae dies at age 86

    Festus Gontebanye Mogae, who served as Botswana's president for two terms starting in 1998, has died at age 86. The article traces his political ascent from Finance Minister through a 1992 land inquiry report that forced Vice President Peter Mmusi's resignation, creating the vacancy that elevated Mogae to the vice presidency under Sir Ketumile Masire.

    18 May 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard →

Saturday 16 May

  1. BDP warns forensic audit may be politicized by social media pressure

    The opposition BDP claims the national forensic audit risks being undermined by premature public judgment on social media before final findings are released, warning it may not produce conclusive results.

    16 May 2026 · The Botswana Gazette →

  2. BDP chief praises late Mogae as democrat and nation builder

    Botswana Democratic Party President Mpho Balopi praised President Advocate Duma Boko's tribute to the late former President Festus Mogae, describing Mogae as a great democrat, intellectual and nation builder who strengthened Botswana through discipline, humility and decency.

    16 May 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Wednesday 13 May

  1. Reflection on Festus Mogae's political legacy and opposition critique

    An opinion piece examines Festus Mogae's role in Botswana politics from the perspective of early 1990s opposition figures who viewed him as representing an establishment they considered cautious and elitist, amid political tensions over inequality, land allocation, and governance issues including the National Development Bank crisis.

    13 May 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Tuesday 12 May

  1. Masisi discusses factors behind 2024 election defeat

    Former President Mokgweetsi Masisi has reflected on external and internal party forces that contributed to the BDP's loss of government control in the 2024 general elections, marking the party's first defeat in nearly six decades.

    12 May 2026 · Weekend Post →

Botswana Democratic Party — Botswanan press coverage · Botswana Minute