Category: Sunday Standard

Botswana Housing Corporation has raised P285 million through a private placement under its medium-term note programme, adding fresh funding as the state-owned developer manages maturing debt and an expanding construction pipeline.

The transaction, completed in December 2025, consisted of two unsecured tranches. A P100 million note matures in 2032 and carries a fixed coupon of 15 percent, while a P185 million tranche due in 2030 offers a 14.5 percent coupon. Following the placement, total outstanding notes increased to P685 million from P400 million previously.

The fundraising coincided with pressure on the balance sheet. A listed bond matured in December 2025 and 76 percent of BHC’s P529.3 million borrowings were classified as current liabilities, tightening liquidity. Although trade receivables improved on stronger collections, cash and cash equivalents declined 44 percent to P405.5 million in the six months to September 2025, compared with the March 2024 year-end.

Proceeds from the placement are supporting refinancing requirements alongside ongoing project delivery. BHC is advancing developments in Phakalane, Gerald Estates in Francistown, Kazungula, Lobatse and Jwaneng, including contract housing for police and prison officers under the Employee Housing Initiative. A central pillar of the strategy is the Bonno National Housing Programme, which targets affordable units for low- and middle-income earners, with homes under construction in Gaborone Block 7 forming part of the national rollout.

Construction momentum has lifted inventories to more than P828 million as units approach completion. Financial performance has improved, with BHC returning to profitability in the first half of the 2025/26 financial year. Profit after tax rose to P32.3 million for the six months to 30 September 2025 from P10.8 million earlier.

Botswana’s proposed P378 billion development spending plan under the draft National Development Plan 12 (NDP12) is ‘a fantasy’ that cannot be implemented or financed. This is according to the latest Fourth Quarter Economic Review by economic consultancy Econsult.

In a hard-hitting assessment of the country’s fiscal outlook, Econsult says the development budget has become one of the most serious weaknesses in Botswana’s public finances citing years of inefficiency, poor project design and weak implementation. ‘The development budget is a particular problem, in part because past development spending has been incredibly inefficient and wasteful,’ Econsult says.

According to the firm, ‘Projects have been badly designed and implemented, but also there have been too many low-return, low-impact projects adopted that cannot possibly generate economic gains.’ The firm argues that instead of stimulating growth, many development projects have ‘acted as a drag on growth rather than boosting growth,’ largely because there has been no effective screening or appraisal system to prioritise high-impact projects within realistic budget limits.

This problem, Econsult says, is starkly illustrated by the draft NDP12 Public Investment Plan (PIP), which proposes spending P378 billion over five years from 2025/26 to 2029/30.

‘The proposed PIP of P378 billion over the five years is a fantasy,’ the review states.

For the 2026/27 financial year alone, NDP12 proposes a development budget of P54.24 billion, a figure Econsult describes as ‘completely unrealistic’.

‘This level of proposed spending could not possibly be implemented or financed,’ the firm says, adding that it hopes the figure ‘does not appear in the final 2026/27 budget when it is presented on February 9th.’

Econsult estimates that, under current conditions, a sustainable development budget for 2026/27 should not exceed P17 billion unless government undertakes drastic cuts to recurrent expenditure, including workforce reductions.

The review also pushes back against political calls for a higher share of the national budget to be allocated to development spending.

‘Claims by many politicians and commentators that the overall budget should devote a higher proportion of spending to development projects is ill-informed and does not stand up to logical scrutiny,’ Econsult says.

The firm notes that every development project creates permanent recurrent costs such as maintenance, staffing and operational expenses, meaning that over time, recurrent spending inevitably rises while the relative share of development spending must fall.

‘The challenge is to refocus the development budget on high-return projects by proper project appraisal and prioritisation,’ Econsult argues. ‘But this essentially means that for budget sustainability and boosting economic growth, the development spending budget must become both smaller and much more effective.’

On public debt, Econsult warns that Botswana’s problem is not the current level of debt but its rapid upward trajectory.

‘Botswana’s public debt is currently estimated at 32% of GDP,’ the firm notes, below the statutory limit of 40%. ‘However, it is not the level of debt that is the issue for Botswana but its trajectory; a sustainable debt can easily become an unsustainable debt if new borrowing is excessive.’

Public debt has risen sharply from 22.7% of GDP in March 2024, largely because government savings have been exhausted after years of financing deficits through drawdowns rather than borrowing.

Econsult cautions that even a single large deficit – around 9% of GDP – could push Botswana beyond its legal debt ceiling.

Raising the debt limit would not solve the underlying problem, the firm warns. ‘If the budget has an unsustainable deficit that is not being addressed, raising the debt limit just means that this behaviour can continue for longer.’

The review also flags growing government payment arrears as ‘hidden debt’ citing a mid-January statement by the Minister of Transport that government owes P15 billion to roads contractors.

‘If correct, this would indicate an even higher level of arrears across government as a whole,’ Econsult says. It called for arrears to be properly quantified and published alongside official public debt figures.

The United Kingdom has warned that it may impose fresh import restrictions on Botswana beef following the confirmation of a foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in the country’s North East District, raising concerns over one of Botswana’s key agricultural exports.

In official guidance issued on 30 January 2026 and updated on 5 February, the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said consignments of fresh bovine meat and untreated animal by-products from Botswana should be held pending further assessment of the disease situation.

The warning follows Botswana’s notification to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) of an FMD outbreak detected in a herd of cattle in Disease Control Zone 6B. This zone is already barred from exporting fresh bovine meat to Great Britain due to a previous FMD outbreak in 2022. However, other parts of Botswana, designated Zones BW-1 to BW-5, remain approved exporters under current UK regulations.

Defra noted that while imports from Zone 6B are already prohibited, the latest outbreak has prompted a wider risk assessment. ‘Due to a recent outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Botswana, consignments from Botswana of fresh bovine meat and animal by-products that have not undergone a form of risk-mitigating treatment should be held,’ the UK guidance states.

The UK authority added that Botswana’s veterinary authorities have suspended all exports as a precaution while epidemiological investigations and animal movement tracing are carried out. Defra said it is ‘currently assessing the situation’ and could implement further import restrictions through amendments to its list of approved exporting regions ‘if deemed necessary.’

‘A separate OVS note will be issued if further restrictions are implemented,’ Defra said, signalling that a broader ban on Botswana beef exports to the UK remains a possibility.

the Ministry of Lands and Agriculture has confirmed the outbreak and announced stringent containment measures. In a press release dated 2 February 2026, the ministry said laboratory investigations had confirmed FMD at Jackalas No. 1 village crush in the North East District, within Disease Control Zone 6B.

The ministry also reported suspected cases at Moroka and Kgari village crushes in the neighbouring Disease Control Zone 3C, with investigations still ongoing. To curb the spread of the disease, vaccination campaigns are set to begin on 3 February in Zones 6B and 3C.

‘Additional prevention measures include prohibition of transportation, movement or slaughter of cloven-hoofed animals, including for personal consumption or social events, countrywide except in zones 1 (Chobe) and 2 (Ngamiland),’ the ministry said.

Acting Director of Veterinary Services Dr Kobedi Sedale urged farmers and the public to cooperate fully with disease surveillance teams and to comply strictly with all control measures. He also called on livestock owners to promptly report any signs of illness to veterinary officials or the police.

Botswana’s beef industry is a critical source of export earnings and rural livelihoods, with the UK among its premium markets. Any suspension or tightening of access could have significant economic implications, particularly for farmers already grappling with recurring animal disease outbreaks.

Bank of Botswana has placed the commemorative P50 banknote into circulation, marking a key milestone in the central bank’s Golden Jubilee celebrations .

The limited-edition note was officially released on Friday, 6 February 2026, following its launch last September by President Advocate Duma Gideon Boko during the Bank’s 50th anniversary events. It is legal tender and circulates alongside the existing P50 banknote that carries the portrait of Botswana’s first President, Sir Seretse Khama. Unlike the standard P50, the commemorative note will not be reprinted and will be withdrawn over time through natural attrition.

According to the Bank of Botswana, the new note is designed to reflect Botswana’s heritage and national achievements, while maintaining the tourism theme associated with the current P50. The face of the banknote features the redeveloped Bank of Botswana headquarters, the PulaThebe building, together with the Motswedi diamond, the second-largest diamond ever discovered, recovered from Lucara’s Karowe Diamond Mine. The imagery highlights the central bank’s stewardship of the financial system and the continued importance of minerals to the economy.

On the reverse, the banknote celebrates sporting excellence, depicting Botswana’s 2024 Olympians Letsile Tebogo, Bayapo Ndori, Busang Collen Kebinatshipi and Anthony Pesela, symbols of national pride and achievement.

The commemorative P50 retains the core security features of the existing banknote, with enhancements to strengthen protection against counterfeiting. These include an animated colour-shifting thread replacing the traditional holographic strip, while familiar elements such as braille dots for the visually impaired remain intact.

Distribution has been carried out through commercial banks nationwide, ensuring public access to the new note .

On Tuesday 22nd April, President Advocate Duma Boko launched the Bonno Target 3000 Housing Project at Kgale View, a flagship initiative led by the Ministry of Water and Human Settlement through the Botswana Housing Corporation (BHC). Boko hailed the Target 3000 project as a major step towards the national goal of delivering 100,000 homes.

‘Botswana is going to look spectacularly different. We dare not fail. This is the beginning of an ambitious project of wealth transfer, at the end of which 100 000 Batswana shall have titles to real property,’ he said.

Present at the launch was Reagon Craig – Chairman of Ongos Valley, a Namibian property development company whose portfolio includes a large-scale, sustainable housing project that required delivery of 4,500 houses over the 2019 – 2023 period. However, investigations into Ongos Valley’s operations in Namibia revealed that the company had only constructed 371 housing units between 2019 – 2024, implying a 62 houses/year rate on average.

Five days earlier, Ongos Valley had entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with BHC to develop 3,005 affordable housing units over four years (2025-2028). This translated to 751 houses/year, 12 times (or 1,111 percent) increase over the company’s performance in Namibia. While they acknowledged Ongos Valley’s record of delivering 371 homes in Namibia, due diligence consultants Minchin and Kelly and transactional advisors Grant Thorton warned that the pace and scale did not match the capacity required to meet BHC’s expectations of 3,005 houses in four years. Alarm bells were ringing, but the Ministry was tone deaf.

Behind the photo -op smiles, BHC executives hung their heads in shame. They had been bullied into flouting the standard procurement procedure of issuing an Expression of Interest (EOI), evaluating prospective developers and awarding the contract to the most competitive bidder. The BHC propaganda machinery was coerced into toasting the Presidential launch of the Kgale project without any housing plans, enforceable contracts or a due diligence report.

The threat of summary dismissal was real and repeatedly pronounced. In July, the wrath of the powers that be fell upon Permanent Secretary Bonolo Khumotaka after she dared question the Ongos Valley contract. Former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Nkaelang Matenge was also given his marching orders in October. The body count shot up on Wednesday 28 February 2026, when acting Deputy CEO Steven Ofetotse and Property Development Manager Urban Ferguson were summarily dismissed for allegedly sabotaging the Kgale development project. BHC insiders told Sunday Standard that Water and Human Settlements Minister Onneetse Ramogapi instructed the BHC board to fire the two executives for sabotaging the Ongos Valley project; failing which the board would be dissolved by February 1st.

RED FLAGS

In July 2025, law firm Minchin and Kelly and transactional advisors Grant Thorton bluntly told BHC to ‘carefully reconsider its contract with Ongos Valley to safeguard public resources and ensure that any commitment made was founded on a solid and well-understood risk profile.’

The consultants highlighted significant challenges encountered during the due diligence process, among them Ongos Valley’s reluctance to provide requested information and disclose necessary documentation. Even Ramogapi alluded to that in his report to Boko, when he revealed that the Namibian entity had ‘expressed discomfort that the due diligence exercise had been extended to it.’ This was necessitated by the fact that Ongos Valley Botswana was just a shelf company, established in 2023 with no operating experience.

According to the consultants, Ongos Valley’s dilly – dallying hampered confirmation of its financial soundness, technical operational capacity and ethical standing.

Said the consultants: ‘Significant uncertainties remain regarding the private partner’s willingness to contract on terms fair to BHC, ability to meet contractual obligations, secure requisite financing, and manage the project effectively. This increases the risk of unforeseen challenges, including potential project delays, cost overruns, or compliance issues.’

In light of these unresolved risks, the consultants recommended that the transaction should be reconsidered as it presented an unacceptably high level of uncertainty.

THE UGLY TRUTH

Minchin and Kelly identified several risk factors and revealed Ongos Valley’s dismal failure in financial, reputational, operational, technical and legal due diligence. According to the consultants, Ongos Valley failed to disclose key financial information such as latest management accounts, debtors and creditors ageing analysis, as well as tax compliance reports. Further, the company’s financials for 2023 – 2024 were not audited.

It was also found that Ongos Valley had not carried out any internal audits between 2021 – 2024, which limited visibility into its control environment, increasing the risk of undetected errors and weak governance. The transaction advisors observed that Ongos Valley did not report any revenue between 2021 – 2022, despite incurring operating expenses. This pointed to minimal commercial activity, which made it difficult for the consultants to reliably assess the company’s operational capacity, revenue-generating potential, and long-term sustainability.

Ongos Valley had reported losses across all the four years under the due diligence review. Strangely, the company donated N$ 2.1 million in 2023, recorded as operating expenses. The N$2.1million accounted for 19percent of Ongos Valley’s total operating expenses in 2023. The consultants questioned the allocation of substantial funds to non-operational items such as donations after prolonged losses; as it raised concerns about the company’s financial acumen and prioritization of operational sustainability.

The company had loans payable to its shareholders, which reflected limited confidence by shareholders in its long-term viability. By retaining creditor status, shareholders secured repayment priority in case of liquidation, suggesting reluctance to fully absorb business risk.

‘In all the four years under review, total liabilities exceeded total assets, resulting in a negative net asset position. A persistent negative net asset position indicates that the company is technically insolvent, raising concerns about its long-term financial sustainability, its ability to meet obligations, and its capacity to raise additional funding,’ read the due diligence report.

Ongos Valley’s accounts receivables included a substantial VAT component across all four years under review. This raised concerns about the size of projects the company had undertaken, as low revenue generation potentially reflects small-scale or delayed projects. The consistently high VAT receivable also reflected a higher input VAT over output VAT, implying that the company’s costs regularly surpassed its revenue.

According to the consultants, Ongos Valley reported substantial trade payables across all four years under review, indicating a consistent accumulation of unpaid supplier balances.

‘Persistent non-payment of suppliers may strain relationships and result in disrupted supply chains. This could delay project execution, increase costs, and ultimately impact the company’s ability to deliver on contractual obligations,’ warned the consultants.

The company’s debt made up more than 100 percent of its capital structure; while its liabilities exceeded its total assets. This posed solvency risks, exerted pressure on cashflows and reduced financial flexibility. Ongos Valley’s asset base was heavily concentrated on inventory, such that its liquidity and solvency were heavily tied to inventory realization. Should there be project delays or failure to sell, Ongos Valley would face working capital strain and difficulty meeting short-term obligations.

THE HOUSE OF CARDS COMES TUMBLING DOWN

In December 2025, barely six months after President Boko launched the ‘new era for Botswana’s housing landscape,’ the much-touted partnership between BHC and Ongos Valley collapsed. Then acting CEO Pascaline Sefawe confirmed that the catalytic housing development project hit a snag after negotiations with Ongos Valley collapsed.

‘It was very unfortunate that the project was launched, but negotiations with the partner did not go well. We had to terminate discussions,’ she said.

Internally, BHC employees breathed a collective sigh of relief. They were heavily opposed to the allocation of serviced prime land in Kgale to a dubious foreign company, that would sell it, generate profits and repatriate them outside Botswana.

‘The 3,000 housing units in Kgale were already planned for by BHC. So, there was no need to hand over the project to Ongos Valley on a silver platter,’ they said.

Silently, BHC technocrats scoffed at the Boko administration’s target of 100, 000 housing units in two years. Since inception in 1971, BHC has built just over 27, 000 housing units country wide, and they still have unsold inventory. Further, flooding the market with 100, 000 housing units would distort the property market and greatly reduce prices.

Bank of Botswana data shows government drew a further P2.8 billion advance from the central bank in November, highlighting ongoing cash-flow pressure as weaker diamond revenues disrupt the timing of inflows against spending needs.

Diamond receipts, which typically account for about 30 percent of total government revenue, have remained subdued amid a prolonged global downturn. The slowdown has reduced the pace at which funds flow into the fiscus, increasing reliance on short-term liquidity tools to meet routine obligations.

The November advance followed closely on the repayment of a P2.5 billion facility in September, which briefly eased pressures before advances reappeared on the balance sheet. The pattern points to tight cash management rather than a one-off funding gap.

To bridge financing needs, the Ministry of Finance has increasingly turned to domestic lenders. Government has already secured a P3 billion loan from the Botswana Public Officers Pension Fund. According to a recent report by Econsult, authorities are also exploring raising an additional P5 billion from commercial banks and pension funds.

External buffers continue to thin. Foreign exchange reserves fell to P52.6 billion in November 2025 from P55.3 billion in October, and were below levels recorded a year earlier. Within reserves, the Government Investment Account rose to P2.4 billion from P1.64 billion in October, but remains weak by historical standards. The finance ministry has warned the account could be depleted by March without stronger inflows or financing.

For 2025/26, total revenue and grants have been revised down to P68.7 billion, while expenditure is projected at P77.9 billion. The resulting deficit of P9.2 billion, or 3.3 percent of GDP, continues to weigh on cash balances.

Fresh information has emerged, revealing how Cabinet power is being abused to push a cut price mine deal that is expected to benefit President Duma Boko’s son.

A whopping P150 million is at stake as at least three Cabinet Ministers back a politically connected buyer over creditors, workers and taxpayers.

A quite but consequential battle over a collapsed gold mine is exposing one of the most brazen abuses of Cabinet power in recent history – a deal that could drain P150 million from the public purse while delivering a strategic national asset to a politically connected company for a fraction of its value.

At the center of the storm is Mupane Gold Mine, currently under liquidation and Ulsan Botswana, a Turkish company linked to President Boko’s son. Despite a vastly superior competing offer that would settle all debts and protect tax payers, senior government figures are actively manipulating the liquidation process to force through Ulsan’s bid.

Court filings, creditor filings, correspondence and interviews reveal a disturbing pattern. Cabinet Ministers presiding over creditor departments are prepared to write off massive public claims, and use regulatory power to secure the deal.

The facts are stark. Nova Aga has submitted a P290 million bid, enough to fully settle all verified creditor claims. Ulsan Botswana on the other hand has offered just USD 500 000 (about P6,7 million).

Yet despite the yawning gap, at least three Cabinet Ministers, Vice President and Minister of Finance Ndaba Gaolatlhe, Minister of Minerals and Energy Bogolo Kenewendo and Minister of International Relations Phenyo Butale are accused of backing the lower bid.

If the Ulsan campaign succeeds, more than P150 million owed to government linked entities would effectively be written off, and hundreds of former Mupane Mine workers would forfeit their severance packages.

Court records show that the Ministry of Minerals and Energy, under Minister Kenewendo, is owed P53 million by Mupane Mine. The Department of Mines, also under her authority is owed USD 5,4 million (over P70 million) Botswana Power Corporation, again under her portfolio is owed more than P15 million.

Despite this, Kenewendo has signaled that she is prepared to use her licensing powers to block Nova Aga’s bid, effectively sacrificing public claims in favour of Ulsan Botswana. This represents a textbook conflict of interest; a minister using regulatory authority to defeat a bid that would pay her own ministry in full.

The consequences extend beyond balance sheets. As Kenewendo’s ministry contemplates writing off tens of millions, BPC has applied for an electricity tariff increase effective 1 April, citing financial strain and the state’s inability to finance consumers. In effect, taxpayers and electricity users would absorb losses created by political decisions, while a private investor walks away with a national asset at a discount.

The Ministry of Finance is also implicated. Botswana Unified Revenue Services (BURS) which falls under Vice President Gaolatlhe has indicated a willingness to write off P3.1 million in tax debt owed by Mupane Mine, a more that serves no purpose other than to smooth Ulsan Botswana’s path. Ironically, Nova Aga has formally appealed to Gaolatlhe, warning of political interference in a judicial liquidation process.

Perhaps most troubling is the involvement by the Ministry of International Relations. Court records and off the record interviews with creditors indicate that Phenyo Butale’s ministry did not merely ‘facilitate’ the bid, they actively lobbied creditors to vote in favour of Ulsan Botswana.

After an initial creditors’ meeting scheduled for 11th July 2025 collapsed amid reported behind the scenes lobbying, the meeting was postponed to 26th August 2025.

When it finally convened, creditors delivered a decisive verdict. At the August meeting, creditors overwhelmingly backed Nova Aga. Attorney Kwado Osei Ofei, holding proxies for 79 of 177 creditors, representing 49% of total claim value moved the resolution. Additional creditors support pushed the vote beyond the 51% majority required by law. The Master of the High Court invited objections. None were raised.

According to reports from worried creditors, the vote did not end government’s involvement. Senior officials, among them a high-ranking figure from the Ministry of International Relations allegedly intensified efforts to pressure creditors to reverse their positions, an extraordinary move after a lawful creditors’ decision. When this failed, Ulsan Botswana filed an application with the High Court to halt the award to Nova Aga, in a move that threatens to drag the judiciary into the dirty war.

Botswana’s Cabinet Ministers swear an oath to faithfully execute their duties and act in the nation’s best interests. The Mupane controversy however raises a blunt question: How does writing off P150 million in public claims, to benefit a politically connected buyer offering a fraction of the mine value serve Botswana?

As the liquidation process grinds on, the issue is no longer just about Mupane Gold Mine. It is about whether Cabinet authority is being used to protect the public interest or to advance private influence at public expense.

Mental illness in Botswana has now reached shocking proportions.

It is a result of different causes, drugs being one of them.

Botswana is now a growing consumer of drugs, especially hard drugs.

Consumption is high among the youth.

But there is evidence that adults too are consuming these drugs.

Botswana public health is undergoing serious challenges.

These challenges are reducing the capacity to react and adapt to changing dynamics.

Even at its best, the public health sector’s support for mental health was never a top priority.

Even before the current financial and supply chain challenges grew this deep, mental health was never anywhere near the top among the priorities.

Now with these current challenges, it follows that mental health will once again be sent to the farthest backwaters.

That is most worrying.

Demand for mental health services is growing fast, yet the means and capacity to meet the demand is diminishing by the day.

It follows that research spending, never a strength even during the best of times swill slip further behind.

Much of the contributors and causes of the current crisis can very easily be traced to covid 19.

Covid 19 simply heightened vulnerabilities.

It undermined people’s ability to cope.

It killed social defence mechanisms.

Quarantining people inside their homes for long periods of time has had enormous impacts.

During the lockdowns, people were squeezed together in small spaces with other people they had not always liked and or loved or gotten well with.

The young people, especially of school going age found themselves totally unable to cope.

Those who were always on the edge simply slipped over the cliff.

Many others too fell into the slippery paths.

The nation is now dealing with devastating aftermath.

Yet another big influence has got to be social media.

Social media has brought about a shift in lifestyles.

There is no question that it has improved life. And enhanced communication.

But it has also changed the way people interact.

In a bad way, it has changed the way young people view themselves.

And it has had a devastating impact on the levels of self confidence among young people.

Whether we like it or not, social media is laying young people to waste.

The biggest loser is mental health.

Young people, it would seem are simply not wired to resist social media.

They simply are not able to cope with it.

And it is getting worse by the day.

Some of the social media platforms have addictive feeds. And on younger children they have similar effect like poison.

Thankfully an international debate is now raging on how to cut and control the link between young people and social media.

The debate might be late.

But its better late than never.

One of the biggest problems has got to be the stigma that is attached to mental health illnesses.

It is not unusual for families in Botswana to hide members that are not well mentally.

This makes it hard for these people to get help they need.

Quarantining such people away also exacerbates rather than solve the problem.

Farmers are urging government to increase allocations to agriculture in the upcoming national budget, warning that rising disease risks and persistent funding gaps are threatening food security and the sector’s long-term sustainability.

The Botswana National Beef Producers Union has called for urgent additional funding to contain foot and mouth disease (FMD), which has disrupted livestock movement and weighed heavily on beef markets. Union spokesperson Andrew Seeletso described the outbreak as an ‘invisible scourge’ that is already constraining trade and could worsen without decisive intervention.

‘It is now an open secret that Botswana is battling foot and mouth disease, which has suspended the movement of fresh produce,’ Seeletso said. He noted that livestock ownership is widespread across households, meaning an uncontrolled outbreak would carry serious economic and social consequences. He added that the union is awaiting clarity on how much funding will be allocated to disease control, particularly given uncertainty about the scale of the outbreak.

Seeletso said increased investment in FMD containment would help preserve beef exports and stabilise regional markets, which have already been disrupted by movement restrictions.

Pressure for a larger agriculture budget has also come from the Okavango Farmers Association. Chairperson Benny Morumbu said agriculture, spanning livestock, horticulture and other sub-sectors, requires stronger and more consistent support to meet national food self-sufficiency goals. He was speaking ahead of the Budget Speech by Finance Minister Ndaba Gaolathe.

The horticulture sector has echoed similar concerns. Botswana Horticulture Council chair Mogomotsi Moatswi said farmers need infrastructure such as boreholes and subsidies for inputs to reduce costs and scale production. He also cited illegal tomato imports as a sign of weak market controls.

The Ministry of Lands and Agriculture has been allocated P2.88 billion, about 12.1 percent of the development budget, down sharply from P8.01 billion last year, fuelling concern among farmers as they await the budget outcome.

Gaborone 2026 World Athletics Relays Local Organising Committee (LOC) has officially released ticket prices. Priced in United States Dollars, the tickets are now on sale ahead of the global athletics event set for May.

The announcement has sparked mixed reactions, particularly on social media, where many local fans have expressed dissatisfaction with the pricing. Soon after the prices were released on Thursday, social media platforms were filled with criticism from members of the public.

Many locals argued that the tickets are too expensive and not suited to the Botswana market. Some said they had expected the prices to be only slightly higher than those of local sporting events. Others described the prices as unaffordable for ordinary Batswana, especially families and young people who regularly attend sports events.

Despite the backlash, organisers have stood firm, insisting that the ticket prices were carefully structured to cater for both the local and international market. They argue that the World Relays is a global event and that its pricing cannot be compared directly to local competitions.

World Relays Ticketing Manager Naledi has defended the pricing structure, saying it was designed after careful consideration of international standards and local realities.

‘Our pricing strategy is benchmarked against international athletics standards, reflecting the global prestige of the World Relays. At the same time, we were careful not to undersell Botswana’s value on the world stage,’ Naledi said.

She explained that Botswana, as the host nation, had to strike a balance between hosting a world-class event and ensuring that local supporters were not excluded. According to Naledi, ticket prices for the World Relays are actually lower than what is normally charged at similar international athletics events.

‘We deliberately kept prices below typical international rates to ensure accessibility for local fans,’ she said. ‘We are mindful that Batswana are generally accustomed to paying around P200 for major events, which is why we capped our pricing to remain competitive and affordable.’

Naledi further noted that most of the seating at the National Stadium is priced with locals in mind. She said around 80 percent of the available seats fall within what organisers consider affordable price ranges.

‘Our most expensive category has a limited capacity of just 2,000 seats,’ she said. ‘The rest of the seating is priced to cater for the wider public, so that many people can attend and enjoy the event.’

She also addressed concerns around international ticket pricing, saying even foreign visitors will be paying less than the usual rates for such events.

‘Even for international audiences, our prices are lower than standard global rates because we took into account what Batswana are used to paying,’ Naledi said. ‘This is why general seating is priced below P500, while international tickets are set at 25 US dollars for Day One and 35 US dollars for Day Two.’

Media voices have also weighed in on the debate. Mmegi Sport Editor Mqondisi Dube has come out in support of the ticket pricing, arguing that it is fair when viewed in the context of global sport.

‘The ticket prices are fair. Some may feel they are too steep, but when you look at pricing for similar world events, they are in line with international standards,’ Dube said. ‘This is a world event and must be viewed as such.’

However, Dube acknowledged the concerns raised by local fans and said organisers should continue to think creatively about how to include more locals.

‘To address concerns from the local audience, a two-tier ticketing system can be introduced,’ he said. ‘One tier can be for locals and residents, and another for the international audience. This allows organisers to price tickets differently while ensuring the stadium is filled and locals are not left out.’

‘If it was me, I would reserve Panda stand strictly for Batswana at ticket price of P200, and the rest of the stadium remains at that proposed rate. Keraa ke lebile gore Batswana re tshela jang,’ Nyviah Thelo commented on Facebook.

‘Although we may not be the primary target audience, the tickets are well worth the price, given that it’s a world-class event. We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to host and it’s a chance for us to capitalise on the event’s success and maximise our revenue. So, I don’t see it wrong to have such a price,’ commented Khapsen CT Terence on ticket prices.

Botswana will host the World Relays on 2 and 3 May at the National Stadium in Gaborone. The event is expected to attract top athletes from around the world and place the country firmly on the global athletics map. As preparations continue, the debate around ticket pricing highlights the challenge of hosting a major international event while meeting local expectations.