Also known as: Parliamentary · General Assembly · the National Assembly
Botswana's legislative body that receives government policy presentations, evaluates reforms, and votes on bills and budget proposals.
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
Mmegi
MOKATAKO: As Parliament wrapped up its sitting last month, legislators approved a critical motion. …
A zone too big for its own goodMmegi
… At Parliament, reports quote him as calm, factual, and avoiding combative language. …
Ntsima: Using politics as a vehicle to convalesce people’s livesThe Botswana Gazette
BONGANI MALUNGA The Botswana Nurses Union (BONU) has hinted that it may escalate its demands for the absorption and permanent employment of nurses and midwives to Parliament as the country continues to grapple with severe staffing shortages in the public health sector. …
BONU Ponders Taking Nurse Employment Crisis to ParlyWeekend Post
… The party warns that if the report remains secret or is effectively withheld from public view, it will revive its earlier proposal when Parliament reconvenes in July: the creation of a fully independent Presidential Commission of Inquiry subjected to direct public scrutiny. …
BCP rejects forensic audit processThe Botswana Gazette
Three months after taking office, the airline’s chief executive laid bare mounting losses, debt pressures and fleet challenges before Parliament on Monday GAZETTE REPORTER Air Botswana recorded its highest revenue during the period under review at P330 million at the end of 2024, …
Air Botswana’s Mounting Financial StrainMmegi
Appearing before a parliamentary committee this week, BPC management told lawmakers that the corporation has made measurable progress under its “Maduo 26” strategy launched in 2021, but said the current electricity tariff structure is no longer financially sustainable as costs co …
BPC financial crisis deepens despite operational gainsMmegi
… The funds were disbursed by government to BAMB to help procure produce from local farmers in order to restock the Strategic Grain Reserves.On Monday, appearing before Parliament’s ongoing Statutory Bodies proceedings, Scheepers painted a troubling picture of an organisation cripp …
More audit bombshells at BAMBDaily News Botswana
Acting President Ndaba Gaolathe was among the first senior leaders to sign the book of condolences for former President Dr Festus Mogae at Parliament on Tuesday, as the nation continues to mourn the passing of the respected statesman. …
Gaolathe Leads Nation in MourningDaily News Botswana
The national carrier, Air Botswana, has been operating on auto pilot for the past five years due to persistent governance failures, board instability and the absence of executive leadership, Parliament has heard. …
Governance Failures Ground Air BotswanaDaily News Botswana
… According to a memorial schedule, National Prayers will continue at Boipuso Hall until May 13, while the nation will be accorded the opportunity to pay their last respects during the lying in state at Parliament on May 13. …
Mogae Burial SaturdayDuring a parliamentary response, Minister Mohwasa revealed that the government will establish an independent special team—rather than relying on existing investigative bodies—to act on findings from a forensic audit commissioned to expose corruption over the last decade.
20 August 2026 · Mmegi →
During a parliamentary response, Minister Mohwasa revealed that the government will establish an independent special team—rather than relying on existing investigative bodies—to act on findings from a forensic audit commissioned to expose corruption over the last decade.
20 August 2026 · Mmegi →
The Minister for Higher Education has presented the National Technical and Vocational Education and Training Policy to Parliament, aiming to align education with labour market demands and industry needs while developing skills for both existing and future jobs. The policy supports Vision 2036, the National Development Plan 12, and Sustainable Development Goals, focusing on cultivating an innovative, entrepreneurial generation and building a productive, adaptable workforce in response to technological advancements.
20 August 2026 · Daily News Botswana →
Salakae announced his immediate resignation from Cabinet in Parliament to deal with a legal matter requiring his court attendance on August 28, stating he has no ill will against the DCEC.
18 August 2026 · Mmegi →
The Government of Botswana has committed to setting aside funds for the national response to gender-based violence, with the President directing that resources be submitted for Cabinet consideration. An Inter-Ministerial Committee has been tasked with preparing a properly costed proposal to ensure coordinated, multi-sector implementation.
18 August 2026 · Weekend Post →
Finance Minister Ndaba Gaolathe rejected concerns about a debt crisis, stating that Botswana is not in debt distress and maintains one of the lowest debt-to-GDP ratios in Sub-Saharan Africa at about 29 percent of GDP in the 2025/26 fiscal year, a position more favorable than many regional neighbors.
18 August 2026 · Weekend Post →
MPs rejected a proposal by Leader of the Opposition Dumelang Saleshando for transparent ballot boxes and decentralized vote counting, prompting the Botswana Congress Party to stage a walkout. Saleshando has argued that such changes are essential to boost public trust in the election process and minimize disputes during counting.
18 August 2026 · Weekend Post →
Government remains committed to electoral reform and has engaged political parties to submit proposals, with planned reforms including one-time voter registration, electronic voting and counting, ballot counting at polling stations, transparent ballot boxes, and legalised exit polling. A technical team will evaluate these reforms before presenting them to Parliament.
18 August 2026 · Daily News Botswana →
Minister of Lands and Agriculture Dr Dikoloti told Parliament that completing a 400km route could unlock international beef markets and reverse economic damage from prolonged livestock restrictions, urging farmers to exercise patience as the government works to end the foot-and-mouth disease crisis.
17 August 2026 · Mmegi →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
Justice Minister Nelson Ramaotwana presented the Proceeds and Instruments of Crime Amendment Bill 2026 in Parliament to address deficiencies in the current Act and ensure full compliance with international obligations, particularly Financial Action Task Force (FATF) standards ahead of a mutual evaluation by the Eastern and Southern African Anti-Money Laundering Group.
11 August 2026 · Daily News Botswana →
The government is trimming the budget to slow borrowing and prevent a debt crisis, as public debt reached P92.7 billion and is expected to exceed P100 billion by year-end, representing about 44% of GDP. Finance authorities and the World Bank warn that slow economic growth and diamond sector uncertainty could trigger a debt crisis.
10 August 2026 · Mmegi →
Opposition parties have accused the UDC government of lacking commitment to political party funding, arguing that the administration is using financial constraints to delay implementing a law passed by Parliament in 2024.
9 August 2026 · The Botswana Gazette →
Only half of Air Botswana's six aircraft are operational despite P355.9 million spent on fleet renewal over five years, leaving the airline with persistent flight disruptions and losses unresolved.
7 August 2026 · The Botswana Gazette →
The government has committed P9 million to host the 30th TAFISA World Congress in October 2027, defending the decision as a strategic investment aligned with efforts to position Botswana as a premier destination for international sporting events and support economic diversification.
4 August 2026 · Weekend Post →
Vice President and Finance Minister Ndaba Gaolathe cautioned in Parliament that Botswana's fragile economic recovery cannot sustain the Umbrella for Democratic Change's proposed P4.1 billion annual increase in social spending, which includes higher allowances for Ipelegeng workers, Village Development Committees, and tertiary students, plus extending old-age pensions to citizens aged 60 to 64, without worsening the fiscal deficit and increasing public debt.
3 August 2026 · Weekend Post →
Parliament was informed that Botswana's poultry industry has achieved self-sufficiency in chicken meat and eggs and is preparing to enter export markets, with the industry's value expected to grow from P3.5 billion to P10 billion by 2030.
29 July 2026 · Daily News Botswana →
ILES is hosting its fifth conference to prepare employers, employees, government and stakeholders for Botswana's new Employment and Labour Relations Act, which has passed Parliament and received presidential assent. The conference, themed "Turning Law into Practice: Implementing the Employment and Labour Relations Act in a Digital and Transforming Economy," is intended to ensure a seamless transition to the new legislation.
23 July 2026 · Mmegi →
Botswana's medicine crisis came under scrutiny at a Public Accounts Committee hearing, with MPs and health officials trading blame over shortages and expired drugs.
23 July 2026 · The Botswana Gazette →
The Assistant Minister of Health told Parliament that public patients at Sir Ketumile Masire Teaching Hospital (SKMTH) covered by medical aid will continue to have their medical aid billed according to agreed tariffs, as part of Cabinet-approved transition arrangements following the hospital's conversion from a public company to a public hospital.
23 July 2026 · Daily News Botswana →
Speaker of the National Assembly Dithapelo Keorapetse has made parliamentary independence his tenure's cornerstone, arguing that Botswana's legislature must evolve into a truly autonomous co-equal branch of government capable of lawmaking, executive scrutiny, and citizen representation without institutional dependence on the executive. The speech was delivered at Parliament's inaugural formal ceremony dedicated to launching its legislative agenda—a historic break from tradition marking the first such ceremony since independence.
22 July 2026 · Weekend Post →
Four opposition Members of Parliament have approached the High Court seeking condonation for failing to submit mandatory election expense returns, raising doubts about the legal status of legislators who may have continued sitting and voting in Parliament despite being disqualified under the Electoral Act.
21 July 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard →
Kedikilwe recounts how constituents convinced him to stand as their ward candidate in the 2009 General Election at Palamaokuwe, initially resisting the offer because he wished to focus on his businesses, but agreeing after party elders and the community promised to conduct house-to-house campaigns and secure victory.
16 July 2026 · Mmegi →
Minister of Environment and Tourism Wynter Mmolotsi told Parliament that government reserves procurement schemes for citizens and citizen contractors, and mandates a 50 per cent discount on tender document purchases and contractor registration fees for 100 per cent youth-owned businesses, to drive citizen economic empowerment and job creation.
16 July 2026 · Daily News Botswana →
The Ministry of Local Government and Traditional Affairs uses the Balanced Scorecard methodology to assess local authorities twice a year across four perspectives: delivery of core products and services, efficiency of internal processes, institutional capacity, and ability to generate and manage revenue. Each authority is assessed individually based on its unique circumstances and socio-economic environment rather than compared against others.
16 July 2026 · Daily News Botswana →
Government has 253 retired employees currently employed on contract in the public service, down from 309 appointed since January 2024. The contracts, ranging from 24–36 months, fill gaps in specialized and critical skills including medical specialists, engineers, legal experts, and ambassadors.
16 July 2026 · Daily News Botswana →
Parliament is establishing a credit and cooperative society (SACCOS) to assist MPs and ex-MPs struggling with employability and insufficient retirement benefits after leaving office, with support from the Botswana Savings and Credit Cooperative Association.
14 July 2026 · Mmegi →
The Minister for State President, Defence and Security, Moeti Mohwasa, told Parliament that a high-performing legislature is measured not just by bills passed but by legislation quality, oversight effectiveness, and public trust. He called for constructive debates during the winter session, emphasizing that every debate and law should serve to improve the lives of Batswana and that lawmakers should work as a unit to advance citizens' interests, regardless of their political affiliations.
14 July 2026 · Daily News Botswana →