Sunday Standard When Section 51A(6) steps off the Constitution and walks into public life Credit must be paid when it is due. On 21 April 2026, Botswana’s Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr Kgosietsile Ngakaagae, stood before the public and said something that most constitutional scholars would describe as unremarkable — because it simply is. He said that the criminal charges against Kgosikgolo ya Bakgatla ba Kgafela, who has been in self-imposed exile in South Africa since May 2012, have not been dropped. They were withdrawn — on account of his absence from Botswana’s jurisdiction — and the State retains the right to reinstate them should he ever return. .ihc-locker-wrap{} There’s more to this story But to keep reading, we need you to subscribe. Investigative journalism is an indispensable part of a healthy society, but it’s also expensive to produce. We are reliant on subscriptions to fund our work, and while...

Sunday Standard Beyond Duma Care: Why Botswana Must Rethink How Its Health System Works? In recent weeks, I have argued that National Health Insurance, as framed through  Duma Care cannot succeed without a strong primary health care foundation. In my 29 March 2026 article, I raised the question of whether Botswana is ready for such a reform. On 12 April 2026, I reflected on what Botswana could learn from the United States’ Affordable Care Act, not as imitation, but as a way of understanding how financing reforms behave in real systems. That argument still stands. But it now needs to go a step further. .ihc-locker-wrap{} There’s more to this story But to keep reading, we need you to subscribe. Investigative journalism is an indispensable part of a healthy society, but it’s also expensive to produce. We are reliant on subscriptions to fund our work, and while you can enjoy most...

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Sunday Standard Ousting Balopi because of a debt he or his company owes would be silly Does the Botswana Democratic Party need a new leader? Does the party need Mokgweetsi Masisi back? I do not think so. Mpho Balopi has only been leader of the Botswana Democratic Party for less than year. He came into office many months after the party lost power after almost six decades.. Yet, if newspaper reports are anything to go by, some powerful voices inside that old juggernaut that is the BDP are already looking at Balopi askance. .ihc-locker-wrap{} There’s more to this story But to keep reading, we need you to subscribe. Investigative journalism is an indispensable part of a healthy society, but it’s also expensive to produce. We are reliant on subscriptions to fund our work, and while you can enjoy most of our stories for free, a small number of premium features...

A 25-year-old drink-driver is suspected to have caused a horrific crash in the early hours of Saturday morning, claiming the life of a man who was sleeping inside his parked vehicle outside a popular Kopong bar. The fatal crash occurred at around 4am outside Tripple-K Bar, when a Volkswagen Golf rammed into a stationary car, killing the 44-year-old man snoozing inside. Confirming the incident, Mogoditshane Station Commander, Mompoloki Ramaphoi, revealed the victim was asleep when the Golf, allegedly travelling at high speed, lost control and smashed into his car. “The driver was tested for alcohol and was found to have a reading of 0.34 milligrams. He has since been charged with causing death by reckless driving and driving under the influence of alcohol. He is expected to appear before court soon,” said the Assistant Superintendent. The legal limit for drink/driving in Botswana is 0.22 milligrams. According to Ramaphoi, the impact...

There’s more to this story But to keep reading, we need you to subscribe. Investigative journalism is an indispensable part of a healthy society, but it’s also expensive to produce. We are reliant on subscriptions to fund our work, and while you can enjoy most of our stories for free, a small number of premium features are reserved for subscribers. You can subscribe for one week, a month or a full year – the choice is yours. Save 77% on an annual subscription. Click here to find out how. Existing subscribers can log in to keep reading here. Source link

*Two mauled by leopard in bloody cattlepost ambush *One victim hospitalized with critical injuries A vicious leopard attack has left one man severely injured and another fighting for his life at Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital after a terrifying encounter at Mohawaneng cattlepost between Bobonong and Tsetsebjwe villages. The aggressive predator, reportedly provoked by the presence of […] Source link

Youth accused of stealing from Police boss A Molepolole youth with a reputation for trouble is regretting his latest alleged act of defiance: breaking into a senior police chief’s office and stealing his laptop. Although he’s only 20, Loago Motswakhumo is already well-acquainted with the cops, who described the youngster as ‘their regular customer’, known for harassing his mother, stealing her money and escaping from the police cells several times. Charged with office breaking and theft, the Mokgalo ward resident appeared before Molepolole Magistartes Court on Tuesday, his hands handcuffed behind his back. Motswakhumo is accused of sneaking into the No 11 District Police Headquarters in the dead of night on Sunday 29 March, breaking into the big boss’s office and slipping away with several items. According to the police, No 11 District Officer Commanding, Senior Superintendent Kitsiso Lemogang only discovered his office had been burgled when he arrived for...

In a sporting calendar often defined by competition and trophies, an upcoming golf day in Gaborone is aiming for something far more meaningful – changing lives. On Thursday, April 30, 2026, the fairways of Stanbic Bank Gaborone Golf Club will host the Play with Purpose – Autism Awareness Charity Golf Day. The event blends sport with advocacy, and is driven by one mother’s deeply personal journey. Melissa Modise, a businesswoman, wife, and mother of two, is the force behind the initiative. Her inspiration comes from her six-year-old son, who was diagnosed with autism at the age of three – a moment that reshaped her family’s life. “What began as fear, shock, and confusion has become acceptance and determination,” Modise shares. “We have been fortunate to access early intervention, therapies, and strong support. But that is not the reality for most families.” Across Botswana, many parents raising children on the autism...

Young hot shot named Youth Ministry PS After much umming and ahhing, Minister of Youth and Gender Affairs, Lesego Chombo, has finally named her new Permanent Secretary (PS), settling on accomplished diplomat, Natasha Rampa. The governance specialist officially assumed office on 20 April, stepping into one of the ministry’s most sensitive administrative positions just days after Parliament unanimously adopted Botswana’s National Youth Policy 2026–2036. The PS position has been vacant since December when Bridget Poppy John left, with Deputy PS, Thapelo Phuthego stepping up in an ‘acting’ capacity since then. The ministry says the appointment reflects Chombo’s firm emphasis on ‘consequential management’, a governance approach that demands results, accountability and faster delivery across the public service. Rampa arrives with an elite academic profile, holding a double-major Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Studies from Yale, and a Master’s in Public Policy from Princeton. Before her appointment, she served as...