*Widower takes on church and Botswana Life over Kganya
*Heartbroken husband claims faith was used as bait for bogus policy
In a gripping legal showdown where faith is in collision with finance, a heartbroken widower has taken on some of Botswana’s most powerful institutions, all in pursuit of justice and the funeral claim of his late wife.
On February 14, 2024, Balobile Kemolatlhe, a grieving member of the Zion Christian Church (ZCC), lodged a complaint with the Non-Bank Financial Institutions Regulatory Authority (NBFIRA) against Kganya Botswana, Botswana Life Insurance Limited, and ZCC Botswana itself.
Kemolatlhe’s claim is that his late wife, Thatayame Kemolatlhe, who passed away on June 11, 2022, had been a contributing member to the Pukwana Ya Kganya Group Policy (PYK) and was in good standing thus entitled to the funeral cover promised under the policy.
The claim was however rejected amid a tangled web of insurance timelines, licensing issues, and religious pressures. In his quest for justice, Kemolatlhe has refused to back down, accusing the church and its insurance wing of exploitation, intimidation, and spiritual manipulation.
“They told us if we didn’t join Kganya, we wouldn’t go to heaven,” Kemolatlhe revealed in open tribunal. “Pastors were instructed to preach about Kganya if they had nothing else. This was not faith it was fear. It is a scam!”
Kemolatlhe claims his wife paid her final premium on August 27, 2018, well before Kganya was ordered by NBFIRA to cease operations due to lacking an insurance license. A directive issued by NBFIRA on September 7, 2018, halted all collections by Botswana church committees and instructed Kganya to transition properly into licensed operations which it eventually did by November 29, 2018.
According to Kemolatlhe, Kganya’s failure to adequately inform members about the transition to the PYK Individual Policy in 2019 left many, including his wife, in the dark.
He demanded both the funeral payout and a refund of all premiums paid by his wife, accusing Kganya of operating illegally for 21 years.
After months of back-and-forth, NBFIRA issued its final decision on November 30, 2023 dismissing the claim.
The authority ruled that because Thatayame had not transitioned to the new individual policy and had stopped contributions in 2018, her policy had lapsed. Botswana Life, the underwriter, maintained she was not in good standing at the time of her passing in 2022.
“Insurance is not an investment,” the authority emphasized. “Premiums are non-refundable and are meant to cover risk not to be reclaimed.”
Further, the authority clarified that even though Kganya operated without a license, it did not nullify the contract with Botswana Life, which was always a licensed insurer.
Unmoved by NBFIRA’s decision, Kemolatlhe returned to the Tribunal on Monday, still representing himself and determined to reignite the case.
In this new round, Kemolatlhe accused ZCC of operating illegally in Botswana. The Tribunal led by Judge Dineo Makati swiftly ordered ZCC to produce registration documents within 14 days.
In another twist, the Tribunal also ordered that ZCC Main Branch be substituted as a party in the case, replacing ZCC Lobatse Branch, which had been improperly cited.
The courtroom was left stunned when Kemolatlhe described how Kganya was marketed from the pulpit, not as insurance, but as a spiritual obligation.
“People joined not because they understood the policy,” he claimed, “but because they feared damnation.”
The Tribunal demanded that both parties submit discoveries and bring witnesses. Kemolatlhe promised to file his on November 20, 2025, while the respondents are due to submit by December 15, 2025.
The Tribunal declared that the full hearing will take place over three days, with proceedings expected to explore whether the case may conclude in a settlement or be subject to withdrawal.
