*Machete rejects coalition short-cuts From civil society boardrooms to the frontline of party politics, Olebile Machete has quietly built a reputation as one of the opposition Botswana Congress Party’s (BCP) sharpest strategists. The former Chairperson of the Botswana Council of Non-Governmental Organisations (BOCONGO) now seeks to become the next BCP Publicity Secretary, where he hopes to shape the party’s message ahead of the 2029 General Election. Machete is widely credited by party insiders for driving Team Taolo’s energetic media campaign, and he believes BCP needs to focus less on political theatrics and more on convincing Batswana it is ready to govern. The Voice reporter, DANIEL CHIDA, caught up with the man who is aiming to unseat Greg Kelebonye during BCP’s elective conference on Monday. Why did you choose the BCP over other political parties?The BCP 2014 Manifesto (READY TO LEAD) completely sold me on the party. The BCP’s ideological clarity...

*Court orders former Olympic star to pay P41, 309 *His alcohol tab was worth more than P3, 500 Former Olympic silver medallist Nijel Amos is back in the spotlight, this time not for blazing around the track, but for allegedly taking a little too long to settle his hotel tab. The once celebrated 800m star, […] Source link

*BERA approves 9% tariff hike amid economic strain *Households and businesses brace for August pain In the midst of a fragile economy and mounting inflationary pressures, households and businesses are bracing for yet another financial squeeze as Botswana Energy Regulatory Authority (BERA) has sanctioned a 9% across the board electricity tariff increase for Botswana Power […] Source link

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Sunday Standard The financial time bomb behind donated C-130 aircraft Botswana is reported to have diverted hundreds of millions of pula from public health, public education and public infrastructure, just to keep a single C-130 aircraft donated by the United States of America, air worthy. According to a whistle-blower report presented to the Public Accounts Committee of Defence a Finance, a copy of which has been passed to the Sunday Standard, “In 2024, the Government of Botswana entered into what was publicly described as a donation from the US Government: the provision of a C-130 military cargo aircraft. Despite appearances, the transaction functioned economically as a sale or lease, not a true donation. The arrangement required Botswana to pay approximately US$20 million (P280 million), with another US$6 million (P87 million) anticipated for heavy maintenance in 2026. The total expected expenditure by 2027 is over US$26 million (P367 million) for an aircraft purportedly...

Sunday Standard Khama alleges Zimbabwean agents dispatched to Botswana amid assassination fears Former president Ian Khama has alleged that individuals linked to Zimbabwe have been dispatched to Botswana as part of a plot against him. This follows tensions between the former head of state and the government of Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa. .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 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...

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

Sunday Standard Govt accused of defying rule of law in P20 million judge drivers debt battle The government has been accused of flouting the rule of law and deliberately delaying payment of millions of pula owed to 32 judge drivers in a long-running legal battle over unpaid standby allowances. In court papers filed before the High Court in Francistown, the judge drivers have accused the Attorney General’s Chambers of attempting to evade its financial obligations by arguing that the matter has already been concluded, despite allegedly failing to settle the full amount awarded by the court. .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...

Choked with emotion, 36-year-old, Budani Monthe wept uncontrollably, burying her head in her hands to escape the hungry glare of the media, which had gathered en masse at Francistown Magistrates Court on Friday to catch a glimpse of the suspected killer. The night before, the Choppies cashier is said to have sunk an axe into her boyfriend’s head, allegedly hacking at Desmond Chingwere, 36, in apparent self-defence during a row at their Mathangwane home. It is believed Chingwere was cut in his forehead and the back of his head. Charged with murder, Monthe, who arrived in court with a badly bruised, tear-streaked face, was remanded in custody, her plea reserved. Securing her detainment, the Investigating Officer (IO) told court his team were still to collect statements from key witnesses. “We have managed to find the object suspected to have been used in the commission of the offence. We are still...

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