Category: Sunday Standard

Botswana’s Central District could record as many as 180 heat-related deaths between October 2026 and March 2027, according to projections from a climate research model, as a developing El Niño threatens to intensify extreme temperatures and worsen drought conditions across the country.

The Climate Impact Lab’s El Niño Heat Mortality Tracker, developed at the University of Chicago, identifies parts of the Central District as among Botswana’s most vulnerable areas, highlighting the potential human cost of prolonged heat as the country prepares for months of above-average temperatures and below-normal rainfall.

The projections come as the Department of Meteorological Services warns that El Niño could strengthen and persist into early 2027, raising concerns about the combined effects of extreme heat, water shortages and pressure on public health.

The tracker estimates between 49 and 180 heat-related deaths in areas including Nata, Sowa Town, Mmadinare, Serowe, Palapye, Mahalapye, Orapa and Khwee over the six-month period. Kweneng and the North-West District are projected to record between 15 and 49 deaths, while Ghanzi faces an estimated toll of between zero and 10.

The figures are model-based estimates that compare projected mortality with historical conditions, rather than confirmed deaths or a definitive forecast of how many people will die.

The threat extends beyond Botswana. The tracker projects Nigeria to record more than 56,000 heat-related deaths during the period, followed by India with about 55,200. Indonesia, Brazil and Sudan round out the five countries with the highest projected tolls, at approximately 29,300, 19,500 and 14,700 deaths, respectively.

‘The 2026/27 regional outlook indicates an increased likelihood of below-normal rainfall and above-average temperatures across Botswana,’ Director of Meteorological Services Chandapiwa Sebeela said during a government briefing reported by DailyNews on October 28.

The outlook raises concerns about risks to vulnerable populations, including older people, children, people with existing health conditions and workers exposed to direct sunlight. Prolonged heat can cause dehydration, heat exhaustion and potentially fatal heatstroke.

The Ministry of Health has warned that high temperatures can increase the risk of heat-related illness. Symptoms include excessive sweating, fatigue, breathing difficulties and confusion, according to a government briefing.

The combination of heat and reduced rainfall could also deepen pressure on food security and water supplies. Drought can damage crops, reduce grazing and water availability for livestock, and increase the risk of food shortages. Restricted access to safe drinking water can further heighten the risk of diarrhoeal diseases, particularly among children.

‘Our research puts new forecasting capabilities to work to answer one of the most urgent questions we face: where is extreme heat likely to cost lives?’ Michael Greenstone, a co-founder of the Climate Impact Lab and an economics professor at the University of Chicago, said in the announcement introducing the tracker.

The researchers say the projections are intended to help governments identify high-risk areas and direct interventions before deaths occur. Measures such as heat-warning systems, improved access to healthcare, cooling centres and stronger protections for outdoor workers could help limit the toll.

Authorities in Botswana have urged residents to minimise prolonged exposure to direct sunlight, schedule outdoor activities during cooler morning hours, seek shade and drink water regularly.

The eventual impact will depend on local temperature conditions, the duration of heat exposure, population vulnerability and the effectiveness of preventive measures. The projections nevertheless highlight the potential for extreme heat to become a significant public-health threat as El Niño-related conditions develop.

The Pandamatenga Commercial Farmers Association (PCFA) has welcomed progress by the Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board (BAMB) in settling outstanding grain payments, but says a national crop plan is urgently needed ahead of the new planting season.

Association vice-chairman Ryan Neal said BAMB had paid P60 million towards outstanding payments, leaving about P40 million still owed.

Farmers owed P400,000 or less have been paid in full, while those owed more than P400,000 have received 57 percent of their outstanding balances.

‘We welcome this progress and recognise the efforts of BAMB’s Board and Management to address the outstanding payments,’ Neal said.

He said settling the remaining balances was important as farmers met previous-season obligations while preparing to invest in the next crop.

Neal said farmers needed clarity on crop requirements, market demand and producer prices before making planting decisions.

‘Without a coordinated National Crop Plan, farmers are once again expected to commit substantial capital, take on production loans and carry the risks of farming without sufficient certainty about the market for their crops,’ he said.

He called on BAMB, the Ministry of Lands and Agriculture, producers and other stakeholders to develop a plan in consultation with farmers.

The plan should identify required crops, market capacity and expected producer prices, and be communicated early enough to influence planting decisions.

The association warned that uncertainty over demand could expose farmers to financial risks, given the upfront costs of inputs, machinery and labour.

Delayed payments can strain cash flow when proceeds from one season are needed to repay production loans and finance the next.

Sunnyside Dairy Farms plans to invest approximately P175 million in expanding its dairy and fodder production operations, targeting an increase in annual milk output to 22 million litres from the current six million to seven million litres.

The investment is expected to strengthen domestic milk production and reduce Botswana’s dependence on imported dairy products, with the farm projecting that it could eventually supply between 25 and 30 percent of national milk demand.

Managing director Engbert Ter Hofte outlined the expansion plans during an engagement to discuss the company’s operations, investment programme and contribution to the dairy industry.

The project will also increase the farm’s herd from approximately 2,200 animals, including 850 adult cows, to about 2,500.

Ter Hofte said the additional production would continue to supply processing facilities in Gaborone, strengthening the company’s position in the domestic dairy value chain.

The planned investment comes as Botswana seeks to reduce food import dependence and improve domestic agricultural production. However, the extent to which the expansion will displace imports will depend on overall market demand and the capacity of local processors to absorb increased volumes.

Beyond commercial expansion, Sunnyside is considering a community calf initiative through which surplus calves would be made available to selected farmers, alongside training and technical support to improve livestock management.

The programme is intended to widen access to improved dairy genetics and encourage greater participation by smaller producers.

Ter Hofte also acknowledged the cooperation of veterinary authorities during the Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak, highlighting the importance of animal health management in sustaining production.

For years, Batswana watched South Africa’s political dramas unfold on television with the comfortable distance of an outsider. Sitting in living rooms, watching the jaw-dropping revelations of the Zondo Commission into State Capture, the common reaction was a wave of the hand, with a confident, ‘that can never happen here.’

Botswana, with its history of exceptionalism, its tightly managed public purse, and its fiercely guarded, non-partisan civil service, considered itself entirely immune to the systemic rot of political patronage that had brought South Africa’s state machinery to its knees.

Today, that comfortable illusion is shattering on local social media timelines. The confidence is being replaced by a sharp, anxious debate over a policy proposal being pushed hard by the Botswana National Front (BNF), the largest partner in the ruling Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) coalition. The party wants to introduce ‘cadre deployment’, the practice of filling key government positions with loyal party members. The party’s public and uncompromising demand for the widespread implementation of a cadre deployment strategy throughout the civil service is forcing ordinary Batswana to rethink their historical confidence in the nation’s institutional resilience. What once felt like a uniquely South African pathology has suddenly transformed into an immediate, localized debate about the future of Botswana’s democracy.

The architectural blueprint of the Zondo Commission’s final reports laid bare a devastating truth about how modern states are captured. The commission conclusively determined that the systemic practice of treating the public sector as an extension of a political party’s private possessions is both fundamentally unconstitutional and profoundly illegal. By systematically packing state-owned enterprises, statutory boards, and critical government ministries with politically aligned operatives who were often professionally unsuitable for their roles, the ruling party facilitated the complete repurposing of public entities. Instead of serving the developmental needs of the general populace, these institutions were hollowed out to feed the financially insatiable appetites of deeply entrenched, corrupt networks. It is this operational mechanism that a growing number of citizens now fear is being imported into the corridors of power at the government enclave in Gaborone.

The fear that Botswana might follow this exact path jumped from internet comment sections into the real world when the Manual Workers Union issued a fierce public warning. The union didn’t mince words, stating plainly that the country’s professional public service is being ‘systematically dismantled.’ For a regular clerk, a driver, or a teacher working in a government office, this isn’t a political debate; it is a threat to their daily livelihood. The union warned that Botswana is sleepwalking down the very path that brought South Africa to its knees.

On Facebook, X, and WhatsApp groups, everyday citizens are already connecting the BNF’s recent policy discussions in Selebi-Phikwe to what they see happening in their own workplaces. People are swapping stories of qualified, independent public officers being quietly passed over for promotions, pushed to the sidelines, or offered financial payouts to leave early. The suspicion is that these veterans are being cleared out to make room for loyal party foot soldiers.

In response, local lawyers and analysts have taken to public timelines to remind everyone that Botswana’s laws are designed to protect the average worker from political bullying. The Constitution, the Public Service Act, and the Public Service Charter all demand that the civil service remain completely neutral. Activists frequently point to a well-known Court of Appeal case from a decade ago involving the government and the Botswana Public Employees Union (BOPEU). In that case, the highest court ruled that even ordinary, industrial-class state workers cannot participate in political party primaries. The judges’ message was clear, that the state must serve every citizen equally, regardless of political stripes.

The BNF maintains that its plan is different. Party leaders argue that their version of cadre deployment will focus strictly on merit, placing highly qualified people who simply happen to share the government’s vision into top roles to ensure campaign promises are kept. They argue that you cannot reform a country if the people running the ministries are secretly loyal to the old regime.

But for many Batswana, those promises sound identical to the language used across the border years ago, and the warning signs feel dangerously familiar.

First, there is the worry about fairness in hiring. People fear a system where a brilliant, hard-working applicant from a village with no political connections gets rejected, while a less qualified candidate gets the job simply because they wore the right party colors to a rally. When party cards matter more than university degrees, the ideal of a fair society dies.

Second, the line between party events and state business is blurring. Many were deeply unsettled by reports of active, working civil servants attending the BNF’s political conference in Selebi-Phikwe. When the bureaucrat processing your paperwork on Monday is singing party songs on Saturday, it becomes very hard to trust that they will treat you fairly if you support the opposition.

Third, workplace discipline breaks down. Local union reps are already warning about a future where a senior manager cannot discipline an underperforming employee because that employee has a direct line to party bosses. When political loyalty shields bad behavior, public service quality plummets, and the citizens suffer.

Finally, there is the fear of corruption in public tenders. In South Africa, packing boards with loyalists was the first step toward rigging massive state contracts for friends. In Botswana, as the talk of deployment grows, people are watching suspiciously to see if lucrative government tenders for supplies, transport, and construction start shifting toward businesses connected to the ruling alliance.

The old shrug of ‘it can never happen here’ is gone, replaced by a sharp, protective vigilance. Labor unions and the opposition Botswana Democratic Party are openly urging civil servants to stand their ground and resist political appointments, the boardroom and the office desk have become the new frontlines.

Botswana’s pension system has been marked down in the latest global retirement-income index, underscoring the challenges facing policymakers as ageing populations and changing workforce dynamics put pressure on pension systems worldwide.

The country scored 57.0 points and received a C grade in the 2026 Marsh CFA Institute Global Pension Index, with the results indicating a decline from the previous year. The assessment places Botswana among pension systems that face scope for improvement as governments grapple with the challenge of delivering adequate retirement incomes while ensuring long-term financial sustainability.

The index, published in October, assesses 55 pension systems across three key measures: adequacy, sustainability and integrity. Together, the three pillars account for 40%, 35% and 25% of the overall score, respectively. The assessment covers about 66% of the world’s population.

The findings come as pension systems face mounting pressure from longer life expectancies, lower birth rates and changes in employment patterns, which can increase retirement costs while reducing the proportion of working-age people supporting pension arrangements.

‘People are living longer, work is changing, and the pressures on retirement income systems are growing,’ said Tim Jenkins, the report’s lead author and a partner at Marsh. ‘The question is no longer whether systems need to evolve, but how quickly and how effectively they can do so.’

The report warns that ageing populations could increase the cost of providing retirement income as the working-age population shrinks relative to retirees. It also highlights the need for more flexible pension arrangements that accommodate phased retirement and non-traditional employment.

Those pressures have implications for pension-fund investment strategies, with the report noting that a greater proportion of the US$70 trillion in global pension assets could move towards more defensive positioning as demographic changes reshape retirement needs.

The Netherlands led the overall index with a score of 85.8, followed by Denmark at 84.1 and Iceland at 84.0. Singapore and Israel also received A grades, with scores of 82.0 and 81.9, respectively. The rankings highlight the gap between stronger-performing retirement systems and those still facing challenges in providing sufficient retirement income and maintaining their long-term resilience.

Mona Naqvi, managing director of the CFA Institute Research and Policy Center, said pension systems must respond to demographic shifts while maintaining reliable retirement incomes. ‘Retirement systems differ across markets, but all face the same long-term challenge: Delivering reliable income as demographics shift and markets change.’

The report argues that demographic pressures do not dictate a single outcome, leaving policymakers room to strengthen pension arrangements through evidence-based reforms. ‘The central insight is straightforward: demography is our destiny, but policy responses are choices,’ the report states.

The African Hero Top 8 competition moves into the semi-final stage on November 7, with four teams set to battle for places in the final at the National Stadium.

The semi-finals will be played as a double-header, with Mochudi Centre Chiefs taking on Sua Flamingos in the opening match before Gaborone United face Jwaneng Galaxy in the second encounter.

The four teams booked their places in the last four after winning their respective quarter-final matches.

Chiefs will go into their match against Sua Flamingos hoping to continue their impressive run in the competition. The Kgatleng side secured their semi-final place after beating Morupule Wanderers 3-1.

However, they face a determined Sua Flamingos side that defeated Orapa United 2-1 to book a place in the semi-finals.

The encounter presents an important test for both teams, with a place in the final at stake. Chiefs will be looking to use their experience and attacking strength, while Sua Flamingos will be keen to maintain the form that carried them through the quarter-finals.

The second semi-final will bring together two of the country’s leading clubs, Gaborone United and Jwaneng Galaxy.

GU booked their place after beating Nico United 2-0, while Galaxy edged Township Rollers 1-0 to complete the semi-final line-up.

The clash between GU and Galaxy is expected to be one of the highlights of the double-header. Both teams have enjoyed success in domestic football and will be eager to add another trophy to their collections.

GU, the reigning Botswana Premier League champions, will be looking to continue their winning run, but Galaxy will be equally determined to reach the final.

Beyond the battle for the main trophy, the competition also offers attractive financial rewards for individual performers.

The Player of the Tournament will receive P50,000, while the Coach of the Tournament will walk away with P30,000.

The Goalkeeper of the Tournament and Top Goal Scorer will each receive P25,000. The Young Player of the Tournament and Referee of the Tournament will each receive P20,000, while the Fan of the Tournament will receive P10,000.

At team level, the winners will walk away with P1.5 million, while the runners-up will receive P750,000. The two teams that lose in the semi-finals will each receive P200,000.

The prize structure makes the remaining matches important for both teams and individual players, as they compete for recognition and financial rewards.

With the semi-final line-up settled, attention now turns to November 7 when the four teams take to the National Stadium pitch knowing that victory will take them closer to the P1.5 million prize and the African Hero Top 8 title.

A compounding macroeconomic crisis in Botswana’s vital diamond mining sector has forced the Umbrella for Democratic Change government into a bitter political retreat, triggering a sudden reversal on its highly anticipated campaign promises of free public education. As financial constraints mount, the decision to retain secondary school fees has sparked an intensifying war of words over the state’s election-year promises and the stark reality of the nation’s public finances.

During its successful bid for power, the Umbrella for Democratic Change framed its manifesto, themed Inclusive Growth, Quality Lives, as an explicit, binding contract with the electorate. Central to this platform was a sweeping education and skills revolution, which committed the state to guaranteeing quality education as an unassailable human right. For thousands of cash-strapped households, this was widely understood as an explicit pledge to completely dismantle the cost-sharing school fees that have governed local public schools since 2006.

The sudden pivot to aggressively enforcing these fees has handed significant ammunition to the opposition. Botswana Congress Party (BCP). Shadow Minister for Child Welfare and Basic Education, Caterpillar Hikuama, accused the ruling alliance of total failure, stating that if the government fails to scrap school fees despite evidence showing that the costs have forced students to the streets, it means they have failed on the mandate promised in their manifesto. The political pressure is intensified by complaints from the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) youth wing, which recently condemned what they described as the government’s growing cost burden on ordinary Batswana through various price and fee hikes amid stagnant wages.

While opposition forces attribute the policy shift to political bad faith, independent economic indices confirm that the administration under President Duma Boko is operating with its hands tied behind its back. Botswana is wrestling with a punishing, protracted downturn in its diamond mining sector, which serves as the traditional engine of its state expenditure. A devastating cocktail of factors has gutted the state treasury, driven primarily by a shriveling global demand for natural diamonds under pressure from an inventory glut and aggressive market competition from laboratory-grown alternatives.

This market contraction caused Botswana’s overall mining output to drop by over ten percent, with rough diamond exports crashing by a staggering seventy-eight percent year-on-year in early intervals. Because diamond sales historically provide nearly eighty percent of foreign exchange earnings and a third of all government revenue, the slump decimated public liquidity. Mineral revenues plummeted by over twenty-three percent, expanding the country’s fiscal deficit to a massive nine and a half percent of gross domestic product and forcing the state to lift its domestic borrowing limits simply to stay afloat. Consequently, real gross domestic product contracted, the public debt profile escalated from roughly thirty-three percent to over forty percent of gross domestic product to fund core obligations, and international reserves shrank significantly from three point five billion dollars to three point one billion dollars.

Though recent indicators from Statistics Botswana point to a temporary, high-volume production rebound at key operations like Jwaneng and Orapa, the treasury remains structurally vulnerable. The state’s decision to outsource school fee defaults to the private Education Infrastructure and Management Company signals a grim reality. The administration cannot afford to absorb the cost of its own ideology, and until it can successfully drive its long-term sovereign wealth diversification strategies away from a volatile diamond market, vulnerable public school students appear destined to bear the financial brunt of the national budget shortfall.

As Botswana returned to compete at the International Boxing Association (IBA) Africa Elite Men’s and Women’s Boxing Championships in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, after a four-year absence, the mission was simple.

‘To compete for medals and make a strong statement on the continental stage.’ ‘We are not going to Kinshasa simply to participate, we are going there to compete,’ BoBA Publicity Secretary Kabelo Seleka declared.

And four years since the country’s last participation at the IBA Africa elite championships, Botswana marked her return to the championships with three medals. Two bronze and one a potential gold or minimum silver.

The two bronze medals came courtesy of Treasure Moremi and Trecier Thipe, the latter being the country’s sole woman in the five boxers’ team. Both boxers bowed out in the semifinals, Moremi losing by a split decision, while Thipe had her bout stopped after she suffered a shoulder injury.

Moremi and Thipe’s departure left only Kobamelo Molatlhegi as Botswana’s gold medal hopeful. The boxer was the only one from Botswana to make the finals, where he was expected to face the hosts’ boxer Bofenda Mabala.

Elsewhere, Katlego Keorapetse was dumped out of the competition after losing by Score Card Evaluation to Namibia’s Phillip Mutakela, while debutant Bond Ngubula Jr failed to make it out of the preliminaries.

‘While the medal count is not yet comparable to the 2022 achievement, the significance of this campaign lies in returning to the continental stage, reaching the medal positions and having a boxer contesting for gold,’ Seleka says.

Though not entirely happy with the team performances, for BoBA, the championships gave them a yardstick of how much they have fallen behind in their four-year absentia. And the results turn-out would have been encouraging.

‘We appreciate the commitment, courage and determination demonstrated by every boxer who represented Botswana. We are particularly encouraged by the two medals secured and Kobamelo’s progress to the final.

However, as an association, we also recognise that there is room for improvement. We must be able to compete consistently across all weight categories and convert more of our participation into victories and medals.

We therefore regard this championship as an important step forward, while acknowledging the work that remains,’ the BoBA Publicity Secretary says.

While expectations were high for the local boxers, there was also an understanding that continental competition would be demanding, particularly after a four-year absence. Seleka however notes that ‘the performances in Kinshasa have demonstrated that Botswana has boxers capable of competing at this level.’

‘Botswana has the talent to do better. But talent alone is not enough. We need consistent investment in preparation and athlete development,’ Seleka observes.

The investment needed include ‘more international exposure through participation in continental and international competitions, regular high-performance training camps and quality sparring opportunities, improved athlete welfare, medical support and sports science services as well as development and strengthening of coaching and technical capabilities.’

‘BoBA is working towards strengthening its national development structures, supporting affiliated clubs, improving competition opportunities and engaging stakeholders and partners to mobilise resources for the sport.’

‘Our objective is to build a sustainable programme that produces competitive boxers capable of consistently challenging for continental and international honours.’

Seleka is hopeful that the Kinshasa championships marks the beginning of BoBA’s journey to return to its position among Botswana’s elite sporting codes.

‘Kinshasa is an important part of that journey. We believe Botswana boxing is showing encouraging signs of progress, but we must be careful not to measure the strength of the sport through one championship alone. The return to the African Elite Championships after four years, the two medals secured and Kobamelo’s qualification for the final are positive indicators.’

‘However, reclaiming a leading position in Botswana sport requires sustained results, investment, strong development structures and consistent international representation. Our ambition is not simply to return to where Botswana boxing once was, but to build a stronger and more sustainable programme that can compete at the highest level.’

‘We want to see Botswana regularly represented in continental finals, world championships, Commonwealth Games and Olympic competitions. The journey continues,’ the BoBA Publicity Secretary declares.

Cheetah Cement is planning to establish a new manufacturing plant in Gaborone with an annual production capacity of 800,000 tonnes, in an expansion that could boost domestic cement production and reduce reliance on imports.

The proposed investment was highlighted during a familiarisation visit to the company’s existing production facility in Matsiloje by Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC) chief executive Keletsositse Olebile and his management team.

The delegation was received by Cheetah Cement’s newly appointed chief executive, Wang, who briefed them on the company’s operational performance, growth prospects and investment challenges.

Since commencing operations in 2021, the company has faced initial operational and market difficulties, although management reported improved performance in 2026.

Cheetah Cement currently employs 41 Batswana and supports community development through its corporate social responsibility programmes.

The proposed Gaborone plant would significantly expand its manufacturing footprint, while creating potential employment opportunities and increasing local supply of cement used in housing, commercial developments and infrastructure projects.

BITC said strengthening domestic value chains, including sourcing raw materials locally where feasible, remained important in developing Botswana’s manufacturing sector.

Olebile reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to helping the company address outstanding regulatory and infrastructure challenges that could affect its expansion plans.

The engagement also highlighted the importance of investment aftercare in helping established businesses resolve operational constraints and unlock further investment.

For Botswana, the proposed plant comes as government seeks to diversify the economy beyond diamonds, expand industrial capacity and create private-sector employment.

Additional domestic cement production could improve supply reliability and provide competition against imported products. However, the investment’s eventual impact will depend on implementation, production costs and the competitiveness of locally manufactured cement.

The visit concluded with a tour of the Matsiloje facility, giving the BITC delegation an opportunity to assess the company’s manufacturing operations.

A high-stakes showdown between former Directorate of Intelligence and Security Services Peter Magosi and Botswana’s current and former presidents is bubbling over following the corruption probe over an elusive P45 million Karakul procurement deal.

The Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) has launched a sweeping investigation into the covert procurement of rare Karakul sheep from Uzbekistan, an operation executed by the Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS) under a dense cloak of national security.

Sunday Standard has been informed that the unfolding probe has successfully pierced the highest echelons of power, with investigators officially interrogating former President Mokgweetsi Masisi. During his questioning, Masisi allegedly pleaded ignorance, shifting the entire burden of accountability onto his former intelligence chief, retired Brigadier Peter Magosi.

As the state tightens its net around the retired intelligence boss, unconfirmed media reports indicate that Magosi has issued a devastating, scorched-earth warning to President Advocate Duma Boko’s current administration. The former spy chief has reportedly threatened to execute a ‘Samson stunt’-vowing to entirely bring down the political temple and expose the dark secrets of the ruling elite if the state attempts to criminally prosecute him.

The Office of the President last week formally confirmed the active existence of the high-level graft investigation. However, executive officials flatly declined to provide any operational details surrounding the P45 million asset trail. Presidential spokespersons insisted that the state will not interfere with active processes, warning that disclosing sensitive transaction records prematurely could deeply compromise and prejudice the integrity of the investigation.

The explosive political drama has now spilled directly into the chambers of Ntlo ya Dikgosi, driven by Botswana’s fourth President, Lt. Gen. Ian Khama. Now sitting as a member of the advisory house, Kgosi Ian Khama IV filed an aggressive legislative inquiry demanding that the government completely declassify the investigation. Khama demanded to know exactly when the corruption probe commenced, which statutory authority holds the investigative mandate, and the precise timeline for its conclusion. He openly challenged the state’s ongoing refusal to explain the missing multi-million-pula asset, questioning why the government continues to hide behind the blanket shield of national security to suppress details of an alleged transaction that dates back to a June 2026 parliamentary inquiry.

Responding on behalf of the executive, Minister for State President, Defence and Security Moeti Mohwasa countered that the administration’s defensive posture remains entirely unchanged. Refusing to satisfy Khama’s specific questions on timelines, Mohwasa maintained that public commentary on any matter directly or indirectly connected to the active case is strictly inappropriate. The minister emphasized that further disclosure would severely prejudice subsequent administrative, disciplinary, or criminal legal actions. While acknowledging that the DIS has historically cited national security concerns to avoid public accountability, Mohwasa reassured the house that independent statutory oversight bodies would ultimately uncover the truth through closed constitutional channels once the final findings are compiled.

The multi-million-pula Karakul controversy first entered the public domain in 2024 through explosive court papers filed by suspended DIS legal officer Kuda Malikongwa. Malikongwa sued the state for wrongful arrest, alleging she was targeted and subjected to a retaliatory smear campaign after refusing direct orders from Magosi to bypass all statutory government procurement protocols. Her sworn affidavits detailed a highly irregular, covert operation where a senior intelligence officer was ordered to bypass treasury oversight and effectively smuggle the elite, desert-acclimatized sheep from Central Asia into Botswana using state funds. Malikongwa’s filings explicitly alleged that the high-value livestock was destined for the private benefit of then-President Masisi.

The scandal reached a humiliating climax when state counsel formally admitted in open court that the government is completely unable to account for the P45,142,152 transaction. The state acknowledged that it has no record of the sheep’s physical whereabouts and cannot even verify if the imported livestock ever touched Botswana soil. As the DCEC attempts to trace the missing millions and President Boko’s administration navigates Magosi’s reported threats, the missing Uzbekistan sheep have transformed into a definitive test of accountability for Botswana’s intelligence apparatus.