Category: Sunday Standard

This past Friday, Botswana’s biggest football brand, Township Rollers, in partnership with Sogo, launched its own branded ice cream, Blue Magic. The launch marks Rollers’ new venture into the FMCG sector, a bold move towards the team’s sustainability. It is among many initiatives the team leadership have embarked on since taking over the reigns at the embattled Gaborone outfit.

Forsaken by financiers and with some of the touted sponsors who were unveiled at the beginning of the season nowhere to be found, Rollers found itself in dire straits. Bills mounted. Players’ salaries went unpaid. At one point, players even boycotted a scheduled match as they pressured the club to pay outstanding salaries.

In the midst of this, a mutiny ensued. The then Rollers executive committee jumped ship and an interim committee was ushered in. Just about two months after taking over, the interim committee suffered a setback as the then chairperson Nelson Onkabetse unexpectedly quit his role.

The leadership struggles coincided with struggles on the field of play. In their moment of despair, the interim committee co-opted Thapelo ‘Fish’ Pabalinga and Kaizer Sekaba as chairman and Public Relations Officer (PRO) respectively.

Amidst these difficult times, with no financiers in sight, Pabalinga and his committee knew they would have to adapt. As is sometimes said, they understood they have no luxury of waiting for the storms to pass. New strategies and initiatives were needed.

Among these is the adopt-a-player, an initiative which called on interested organisations, individuals and supporters to adopt a player and support their welfare. So far, through this initiative, some team branches have adopted players, thus reducing some of Rollers’ financial burden.

However, with self-sustainability as a priority, Rollers has moved to tap on to its massive following as a long-term solution. As the most followed sports team in the country, Rollers has robust presence in the social media space. The team’s Facebook page alone boasts of 472 000 followers, a testimony to its appeal.

To tap into this, Rollers recently called on companies and institutions to advertise on its Facebook page. The response has been as expected. ‘We are pleased to announce that corporates such as Stanbic Bank, Spar, Options and RedBull have already bought into the campaign – a very encouraging sign that Township Rollers is a marketable brand,’ Pabalinga told the media on Friday.

The invitation for other companies seeking ‘real, measurable visibility and increased sales’ is still open. It’s a win-win situation for all involved. Strong reach and engagement for advertisers and financial gain for Rollers.

Now is the team’s entry into the FMCG sector, another bold move to turn the team’s brand into actual financial gain. Here, Rollers is again tapping into its strong supporter base as well as the goodwill of ice cream lovers to drive its financial self-sustainability drive.

‘Blue Magic will be sold at all our games, and at retail outlets countrywide, some of which are already our partners explained previously … and rolled out to additional retail partners to ensure easy access for fans and the public. Township Rollers as a team will earn 35 percent of the gross sales of the ice cream,’ Pabalinga says.

And this may just be the start. The Rollers chairman hints that the team may venture more into the FMCG sector with new products. ‘Our vision is that one day when you go shopping, there will be a whole isle packed with Rollers’ products manufactured in partnership with various brands. Why can’t we for instance have a Rollers loaf of bread? When our supporters go to buy bread daily, they will do it fully aware that some of the proceeds will go towards the team. This is the vision that we would like to see.’

Interestingly, the launch of the Blue Magic ice cream coincides with the upturn of the team’s fortunes in the field of play. Under the guidance of Tor Thodesen, Rollers are currently on an eight-game winning streak. Though the surge in good results have come late in the campaign when the title was already out of contention, it sets a solid base for the team to build on in the coming season.

While Thodesen’s contract is short term and comes to an end at the end of the season, Pabalinga believes there is a huge possibility for renewal. Even better, the team is engaged in negotiations with potential sponsors and financiers. There is a huge belief within the team that something good will happen in the not-so-distant future in regards to this.

However, for the team’s followers, success means silverware. Flickers of promise are there that the team is experiencing a revival. But whether Rollers has now truly found its Blue Magic to success, only time will tell!

A new United Nations assessment has warned that Botswana’s celebrated development model is approaching a critical inflection point and growing governance pressures following the country’s historic 2024 political transition.

The United Nations country analysis cites growing structural weaknesses in governance, human rights compliance and national data systems at a time of rising economic and political pressure. The assessment describes Botswana’s development path as shifting ‘from exceptional performance to structural inflection.’ It warns that longstanding strengths in governance and macroeconomic management are increasingly constrained by institutional fragmentation, capacity gaps and emerging socio-economic pressures.

The report notes how that at the centre of the concerns is Botswana’s evolving human rights architecture. While the Office of the Ombudsman was granted a human rights mandate in 2023 and now serves as the country’s National Human Rights Institution (NHRI), the United Nations notes that it is still not aligned with the Paris Principles governing independence and effectiveness of such bodies.

This gap, the UN says, raises questions about institutional autonomy and credibility at a time when rights-based governance is becoming increasingly important. Botswana has ratified six of the nine core United Nations human rights treaties, but has yet to accede to key instruments including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), the migrant workers convention, and the convention on enforced disappearances.

UN human rights mechanisms have repeatedly flagged concerns over the death penalty, corporal punishment, treatment of migrants and asylum seekers, and detention conditions. During its 2023 Universal Periodic Review, Botswana received additional recommendations to accede to the ICESCR, some of which it accepted, signalling partial alignment but continued policy hesitation.

The United Nations also raises concerns about weakening statistical systems, warning that disruptions in labour force reporting by Statistics Botswana have created critical gaps in economic analysis.

Operational and financial constraints have affected the publication of Quarterly Multi-Topic Survey (QMTS) labour data, limiting policymakers’ ability to accurately assess employment trends. The report warns that without timely and disaggregated data, including on poverty, labour markets, and national accounts, Botswana risks weakening its evidence-based policymaking capacity at a time when fiscal and social pressures are increasing.

The analysis comes in the wake of Botswana’s historic 2024 general elections, which ended decades of uninterrupted rule by the Botswana Democratic Party and ushered in a new governing coalition.

While the transition is described as a landmark democratic moment, the UN warns it has also increased pressure on institutions already facing capacity constraints. Combined with weaker economic growth, fiscal tightening, and rising unemployment, the shift has heightened demands on the state to maintain service delivery while pursuing structural reforms.

Using a systems-thinking approach, the United Nations warns that Botswana’s challenges are interconnected rather than sector-specific. Weak job creation feeds into inequality; inequality undermines social cohesion; fiscal constraints limit investment in education, health, and infrastructure; and institutional fragmentation reduces policy coherence across government.

The United Nations argues that Botswana’s long-term development success will depend on strengthening institutional independence, improving human rights compliance, and rebuilding statistical and planning systems.

Without these reforms, the report warns, the country risks slowing its transition toward a more inclusive, resilient, and diversified economy.

Since its inception, Batanani walk has played an important role in supporting communities and driving social change in Botswana. What started as a fundraising initiative has grown into a national platform that addresses some of the country’s biggest social challenges.

This year, the walk is placing child safety and access to justice at the centre of its campaign, highlighting the urgent need to protect children from abuse and strengthen support systems for victims. Mascom Wireless says the 2026 theme, ‘Step Up for Child Safety’, reflects the company’s commitment to helping create safer communities and ensuring children have access to protection and justice.

The campaign was introduced in Gaborone on April 27 and is expected to raise awareness about violence against children, encourage reporting of abuse cases and support institutions that work directly with vulnerable children.

Mascom said the initiative forms part of its wider social responsibility programme and continued partnership with communities. The company noted that child protection remains one of the most pressing social issues facing Botswana today.

According to the Violence Against Children Survey (VACS), many children continue to experience different forms of abuse, with girls being particularly vulnerable. The survey found that among children aged between 13 and 17 who have ever had sexual intercourse, one in four girls experienced unwanted sex during their first sexual encounter, while one in twenty boys reported the same experience.

The report also showed that most abuse cases are never reported to authorities, with only 10 percent of victims coming forward. Fear, intimidation, stigma and lack of trust in reporting systems remain some of the major barriers preventing children and families from seeking help.

Mascom said this year’s campaign seeks to challenge that silence by encouraging communities to speak out and support victims of abuse.

The company added that improving child-friendly services and strengthening systems within law enforcement are important steps in ensuring children feel safe when reporting cases.

Mascom Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Boipelo Matenge said businesses have a responsibility to contribute towards solving social challenges affecting communities.

She said companies should use their influence and resources to support causes that improve lives and create safer environments for vulnerable groups.

Matenge said the Batanani Walk continues to show the power of partnerships between the private sector, government institutions and communities in addressing national issues. ‘As a business rooted in connecting people, we recognise that connectivity also means being one with the communities we serve,’ she said.

She added that supporting child protection initiatives requires deliberate action and long-term commitment from all sectors of society.

Mascom said proceeds from the walk will help refurbish and furnish selected centres across the country to improve the conditions under which children access justice and protection services. The company also highlighted the continued involvement of Mascom Chief Executive Officer Dzene Makhwade-Seboni in child welfare initiatives through her role as chairperson of the UNICEF Children’s Council.

Mascom has called on members of the public, businesses, government and civil society organisations to take part in the walk on Saturday, August 8, 2026. The company believes collective action remains important in ensuring every child in Botswana grows up in a safe environment and has access to justice when abuse occurs.

Botswana’s worsening gender-based violence (GBV) crisis has drawn sharp criticism from international diplomats with some accusing President Duma Boko and his government of relying on rhetoric, prayer meetings and public relations while women continue to die in alarming numbers.

This emerges from a newly released United Kingdom fact-finding mission report titled ‘Country Policy and Information Note; Botswana: Women fearing gender-based violence.’ The report which was released by UK’s Home Office paints a picture of frustration among diplomats, civil society organisations and international partners over Botswana Government’s handling of GBV.

The report reveals growing concern that despite the new administration presenting itself as human-rights centred, there has been little meaningful action to protect women since taking power in October 2024.

‘But since the election [of the government in October 2024] there have been executive/high level statements that have been perceived by CSOs as discouraging, a bad signal,’ a diplomat at the French embassy in Gaborone was quoted as saying in the report.

‘ The statements are usually made in conferences but then are plastered in the media. OFFICIAL 1 [noted the president] made a declaration about GBV that was perceived as putting the blame on women,’ says the report.

‘There is strong rhetoric but not much political will and there haven’t been any substantive changes to legislation,’ one international diplomatic source told the UK mission.

The diplomat said Botswana continued to grapple with deeply entrenched patriarchy despite the new government’s promises.

‘The government portray themselves as a human-rights based government, saying they want to put human rights at the centre of everything that they do. But Botswana is still a patriarchal society which is quite conservative,’ the source is quoted s saying in the report.

Another international diplomatic source dismissed government efforts as inadequate and symbolic.

‘Last week the country had a week of prayer organised by the government against GBV,’ the diplomat said.

The diplomat was quoted as saying; ‘I am Christian, I believe in prayer, but more is needed than just holding hands and praying. I don’t see any tangible change. I do not see that the government intends to change things.’

The report comes amid growing public anger over brutal killings of women and mounting calls from activists for GBV to be declared a national emergency.

A United Nations official interviewed during the fact-finding mission said frustration with government silence had reached dangerous levels following a wave of rape and murder cases during the 2024 festive season.

‘People had been demanding to see the president [speak about] the situation of GBV in this country. Unfortunately for the political leadership, in the general sense, the public is getting a bit frustrated. The president also made some unfortunate remarks [about GBV] recently; There was a public outcry to say that this is not on and that we need to declare this thing a national emergency,’ the UN official was quoted s saying.

The diplomat reportedly added that ‘Unfortunately, there was a lot of silence from the government side, and people were frustrated that even the minister of gender was quiet.’

The official further criticised remarks made by Boko during the height of the outrage, saying they triggered backlash from civil society groups.

According to the report, Boko reportedly said he did not understand why people were talking specifically about GBV because Botswana was generally a violent society involving ‘men, women and children’.

‘That also attracted a lot of public outcry,’ the UN official noted.

Civil society organisations have since intensified pressure on government to formally declare GBV a national emergency to unlock resources and fast-track interventions.

‘There was a meeting of CSOs about two weeks ago where they were strategizing about approaching the presidency,’ the official said.

‘The reasoning is that when we declare a national emergency, then you’ll allocate the necessary resources.’

The report also reiterated concerns raised by officials at Embassy of France in Botswana who described Botswana’s GBV crisis as severe and worsening.

French embassy officials cited the shocking murder of a woman inside the University of Botswana as evidence of the growing danger women face.

‘There was a woman killed inside of the University of Botswana which was quite shocking- that a person would go and kill inside a university, a sacred place,’ one French official said.

The diplomat noted reports that the victim had allegedly been subjected to threats before her death.

‘Usually for serious incidents a minister would go to the scene of the incident but we have not seen this, which speaks to how seriously this is being taken,’ the official said.

Despite increased media coverage under the new government, diplomats warned that there was still little concrete progress beyond speeches and symbolic gestures.

‘The government is really big on human rights,’ a French official said adding that ‘….Would expect women’s rights to be part of human rights.’

But the official added: ‘Nothing really happened afterwards-there was a week of prayers organised rather than something concrete to address the issue.’

The report quoted the official as saying the woman murdered at the University of Botswana was killed during the government’s anti-GBV week of prayer.

Boko’s press secretary Emang Bokhutlo-Mutapati did not respond to request for comment.

Amnesty International has raised concerns over Botswana’s human rights record in its latest global assessment, citing a public health crisis, shrinking civic freedoms and persistent gender-based violence as key issues in 2025.

In its latest report titled The State of the World’s Human Rights, the organization paints a troubling picture of a country grappling with systemic challenges despite a historic political transition following the 2024 general elections.

Botswana ushered in a new era when the Umbrella for Democratic Change, led by President Duma Boko, ended decades of rule by the Botswana Democratic Party. However, Amnesty International notes that the political shift has yet to translate into tangible human rights improvements.

At the centre of the report is a severe public health emergency declared in August 2025 after the collapse of the country’s medical supply chain. Public hospitals and clinics were left without essential medicines, including drugs for cancer, diabetes and tuberculosis. The crisis, attributed to government arrears owed to private suppliers and economic strain linked to a downturn in the diamond sector, forced authorities to postpone non-urgent surgeries.

Although government injected P250 million in emergency funding and deployed the military to assist with distribution, shortages reportedly persisted, exposing deep vulnerabilities in Botswana’s healthcare system.

The report also criticises new legislation, the Digital Services Act 2025 and the Cybersecurity Act 2025 warning that both laws risk expanding state control over online activity without adequate safeguards for privacy and freedom of expression. Amnesty argues that these laws could be used to stifle dissent in an increasingly digital public sphere.

Concerns over press freedom were echoed by Reporters Without Borders, which ranked Botswana 81st out of 180 countries in its 2025 World Press Freedom Index. While noting a decline in outright attacks on journalists, the watchdog said structural barriers continue to hinder media operations.

Freedom of assembly also came under scrutiny. Police in Gaborone blocked planned student protests in August, preventing members of the Student Power Botswana movement from delivering a petition demanding increased allowances. Authorities cited scheduling conflicts, but Amnesty described the actions as arbitrary restrictions on peaceful protest.

Gender-based violence remains a major concern, with UN agencies reportedly declaring it a national emergency. Amnesty highlighted the continued absence of legislation criminalising marital rape, leaving significant gaps in legal protection for women and girls.

On the issue of capital punishment, Botswana continues to retain the death penalty, although no executions have been carried out for four consecutive years. Human rights groups have renewed calls for an official moratorium as a step toward abolition.

The report further noted the relocation of rejected asylum seekers from a detention facility in Francistown to the Dukwi Refugee Camp, where access to employment and essential services remains limited.

Amnesty International says that while Botswana has long been viewed as a stable democracy, the latest findings highlight mounting pressure on fundamental rights, calling on authorities to urgently address systemic weaknesses and uphold constitutional freedoms.

Botswana’s public debt trajectory is edging toward a critical threshold, with analysts warning that persistent fiscal deficits and rising borrowing costs could push the country’s debt load beyond 100% of GDP sooner than expected.

Econsult’s latest quarterly review highlights a widening disconnect between the government’s stated commitment to fiscal discipline and the reality of continued high spending, weak revenues and increasingly expensive financing, a mix that is accelerating debt accumulation.

At the centre of the concern is a structurally imbalanced budget. The 2026/27 fiscal plan projects expenditure at around 35% of GDP, with revenues covering only about 75% of that spending, leaving a large and sustained financing gap. The report is blunt about the implications. ‘The budget as presented envisages a continued high level of spending… and a huge budget deficit,’ adding that key assumptions may understate the true scale of the imbalance due to ‘implausibly low budget figures for debt interest payments.’

While Botswana’s debt has historically been moderate, the current trajectory suggests a sharp and potentially destabilising shift. With deficits running near 9% of GDP and no immediate correction in sight, debt is set to rise rapidly with the 100% threshold increasingly within reach.

‘Nevertheless the trend is unsustainable, and it would not take long for debt to reach crisis levels at this rate of increase. With continued budget deficits of this magnitude, after a decade debt would exceed 100% of GDP – perhaps even sooner if government’s borrowing costs continue to rise,’ states the Review.

Econsult warns that the central challenge is to halt, or at least significantly slow, the rise in public debt. ‘This can only be done by reducing the budget deficit. With little expectation of a significant increase in revenues, this can only be achieved by a reduction in spending,’ states the report.

Yet despite repeated commitments, there is little evidence of restraint as spending is projected to remain at about 35% of GDP in 2026/27, virtually unchanged from the previous year. The review notes that this raises fundamental questions about sustainability as the government prepares to lift statutory borrowing limits.

The government itself has acknowledged the scale of the problem. The finance ministry described the situation as a ‘structurally overstretched fiscal framework,’ where ‘expenditure commitments persistently exceed available and realistic realisable resources.’ Such a mismatch, the minister warned, ‘is fiscally unsustainable over the medium to long term and underscores the urgent need for more credible, disciplined and prudent fiscal planning.’

Yet despite this recognition, the review finds little evidence of immediate corrective action. Planned fiscal consolidation is pushed into the outer years of the Medium-Term Fiscal Framework, a pattern that has repeatedly failed in the past. ‘Commitments made for 2-3 years into the future are never realised, but are perpetually postponed,’ the report notes.

The convergence of large deficits, rising yields and slowing growth is narrowing the window for policy adjustment. Without a credible shift toward fiscal consolidation, either through spending restraint or stronger revenue mobilisation, Botswana risks breaching the 100% debt-to-GDP threshold and entering a far more constrained fiscal environment.

A forensic audit by R4 Forensics has uncovered a web of gross financial misconduct at the Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana (CAAB).

Preliminary findings from the audit suggest that CAAB systematically misrepresented its financial position. Government subventions were allegedly recorded as revenue, enabling the authority to declare profits that did not exist.

The practice concealed sustained losses, with investigators estimating that between P50 million and P70 million may have been lost over the past four years. The authority is now understood to be operating at a deficit, contradicting earlier financial presentations that suggested stability.

The investigation was initially triggered by CAAB’s internal audit unit, which identified irregularities in the payroll system, including payments amounting to roughly P6 million into so called ghost accounts, fictitious or inactive accounts used to divert funds. What began as a targeted probe into payroll controls was subsequently broadened after newly appointed chief executive Thuto Toise ordered that the scope be expanded to include all financial and operational areas of the authority and an independent auditor,R4 Forensics commissioned to conduct a forensic audit.

That decision appears to have exposed a far wider pattern of alleged abuse. The forensic audit details a payroll fraud scheme involving more than 50 ghost employee accounts used to siphon funds over an extended period. The findings suggest that the mechanism may not have been isolated, with claims that senior officials channeled bonus payments through proxy accounts linked to these ghost employees, potentially to avoid tax liabilities and bypass standard payroll reporting systems.

The revelations echo an earlier case involving a suspended payroll officer at CAAB, who was accused of orchestrating the diversion of more than P6 million through ghost accounts. According to media reports at the time, the officer allegedly indicated that he would not act alone and threatened to implicate members of executive management.

He was suspected internally of having close links to executive management and was believed to have facilitated the routing of bonus payments, including the so called 13th Cheque, through ghost accounts to obscure income and evade taxation. The forensic audit’s findings appear to lend weight to those earlier allegations, suggesting that the misuse of payroll systems may have been embedded at multiple levels within the organisation.

Procurement practices have also come under scrutiny. The audit, carried by Robert Masitara’s R4 Forensics, flagged repeated use of direct contractor appointments, bypassing competitive tender processes. In some cases, companies linked to individuals within CAAB were allegedly awarded contracts. Cost escalations appear significant. A refurbishment project at Maun airport, initially budgeted at P50,000, reportedly increased to P3.7 million, with no clear justification provided in the audit findings.

Revenue collection systems were found to be similarly vulnerable. Aeronautical charges collected manually at airports could not be fully accounted for. The absence of robust tracking mechanisms appears to have created opportunities for revenue diversion, further compounding the authority’s financial difficulties.

The audit also highlights alleged abuse of employee benefits and allowances. Investigators cite instances of fraudulent overtime claims as well as travel per diem payments claimed for trips that did not occur. These practices, while individually smaller in scale, contribute to what the report characterizes as a broader pattern of financial indiscipline.

Beyond financial misconduct, the findings raise operational and regulatory concerns. Critical navigational equipment has reportedly remained unserviceable for extended periods despite maintenance contracts being awarded. At Maun airport, radar systems have allegedly been non-functional since December 2025.

The audit further points to the alleged issuance of air operator certificates under irregular circumstances, a finding that could have implications for regulatory compliance within the local aviation sector.

Governance failures emerge as a central theme. According to the audit, these issues were not escalated to the previous board, with management allegedly presenting an overly favourable account of the authority’s performance.

In a related development, CAAB has placed several senior officials on administrative leave as part of ongoing internal processes linked to the investigation. Those affected include Director Human Capital and Administration Services Ontibile Radira, Director Finance and Procurement Kebagaise Segakise, Director Airport Services Isaac Mabote, Director Airport Engineering and Maintenance Christopher Diswai, as well as Manager of Projects. The authority has described the leave as administrative and precautionary, stating that it does not constitute a finding of misconduct or guilt, and that the affected individuals are restricted from performing official duties or engaging staff on work related matters unless authorised.

The preliminary findings from R4 Forensics depict an organization where financial controls, procurement discipline and operational accountability may have been systematically undermined. The scale of the alleged irregularities, spanning accounting practices, payroll systems, procurement processes and regulatory functions, points to challenges that extend beyond isolated incidents.

sit and watch in real time what the opposition Botswana Congress Party is going through.

From a distance it looks chaotic. It is not.

For a party that has been in existence for close to 30 years now, the BCP finds itself in a foreign territory.

It is a campaign season. And for BCP this season is like non other.

Online exchanges between party members are breaking the internet.

It would seem like a civil war is afoot. Opponents are smiling. In their imagination they see a crisis playing out at the BCP.

It is because the party’s big wigs are calling each other names.

Lobbies and sleights are flying around.

Big names are openly campaigning against each other – from the position of vice president downwards.

They are not at each other’s throat. They are just shouting out so that they can be heard.

Some people have called it baptism of fire. It is actually democracy at work.

And to an untrained eye, the BCP is about to collapse.

No, it is not. It will actually emerge stronger and if the will of members is respected, more united too.

Even internally, there are some BCP people who have been rattled by latest developments.

Reports indicate that going forward they will consider banning lobby lists, because, they assume, lobby lists polarize the party.

That would be a mistake. Just let the party play on.

Democracy never begets a crisis. Crisis is often a result of throttling people’s will.

For a long time the BCP has tried to micromanage its growth phases, including by way of stage-managing internal elections.

There comes a time in life when growth can no longer be subjected to test tube experiments.

When that time arrives growth runs on its own, it breaks free of all the shackles and on its own it starts to blossom.

Growth always gets to a stage where it behaves like a Frankenstein monster or should we say a jeannie out of a bottle.

That is true for human beings as it is for organisations.

In life there comes a time when children are no longer toddlers.

When that time comes parents should accept that their time of control is up.

Instincts often tell them to continue with their stranglehold. The reality on the ground says that control has become not only hard but also unsustainable.

The same applies to organisations that we build and grow to love.

On its own, and without seeking anybody’s consent, the BCP has outgrown the phase of acute control and micromanagement.

The sooner its high priests accept this, the better it will be for the whole organization.

Shortly after taking over the leadership of the Botswana Democratic Party, Festus Mogae decided that the inner party mechanics had to be reimagined.

The committee of 18, which was a powerful and largely unaccountable party organ that effectively decided on who could contest elections became Mogae’s first target.

He dismantled and uprooted.

In its position he introduced what he aptly named Bulela Ditswe.

Bulela Ditswe effectively took away power from the party strong men and gave it to the ordinary members.

Through Bulela Ditswe, for the first time the rank and file tasted not just power but democracy too. Bulela Ditswe gave them a choice.

They voted whoever they wanted to be their candidates in the general elections.

Nobody ever said Bulela Ditswe was perfect.

In fact democracy is itself not perfect.

But since its inception no BDP leader has come up with any other invention to replace Bulela Ditswe.

This is despite the fact that Bulela Ditswe has created problems for everyone who has led the BDP, starting with its chief architect – Mogae, Ian Khama, and even Mokgweetsi Masisi.

With Mogae it created chaos. With Khama it created rebellion. And with Masisi, something worse happened.

Khama wanted to reform it. He couldn’t. Masisi wanted to abolish it. He ended up losing power because he was perceived to be against primary elections.

My point is once the people taste democracy, you can’t take it away from them. You cannot even reduce it.

You can only increase it.

Democracy is like liberty. People will only accept more of it. Never less.

It is like giving a little kid a lollipop. You can’t take it away from them without them crying uncontrollably.

This column has the past heavily criticized the BCP for micromanaging democracy.

They have now opened up.

We should now give them credit.

Documents seen by Sunday Standard show that the new Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) government’s promise to restore accountability is facing one of its toughest early tests after the latest Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report reopened explosive allegations involving the Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS). The allegations include contract interference, hidden business interests and repeated court defeats.

The report reveals among others, unresolved matters involving alleged DIS interference in a water project, questionable ownership and accounting of the Tautona Lodge and Farm and a growing trail of court battles launched by disgruntled staff members.

Sunday Standard understands that for a government elected on promises of transparency, accountability and rule of law, the report now places the UDC administration in the spotlight.

The documents revel that at the centre of the controversy is a case in which the DIS is accused of interfering in a water project by allegedly removing a contract from one contractor and awarding it to another.

According to the PAC, the intelligence agency confirmed the existence of the case and said investigations had been completed before the matter was referred to the DPP for prosecution.

Information reaching Sunday Standard also shows that the latest revelation instantly transforms the issue from an administrative embarrassment into a legal and political test case.

Information seen by Sunday Standard also shows that if prosecutors proceed this could mark one of the first major corruption-linked prosecutions touching the DIS under the new administration. It is understood that if nothing happens, critics will likely accuse the UDC of protecting old networks it promised to dismantle.

Reports indicate that Boko said to safeguard the rule of law, discourse on judicial independence was often framed in a binary manner, with the judiciary on one hand and the state on the other.

The matter involving DIS interference in the water project arose from a controversial instruction of the DIS for WUC to cancel its contract with the two companies that DISS considered a security threat to the country.

The two companies consequently approached the High Court for redress. Following a protracted legal battle, the parties reached a court of settlement agreement that was fulfilled when WUC paid the two companies P112 million. ‘The contract that the parties had entered into arising from the invitation to tender that was published by Water Utilities Corporation bearing reference, essentially, Design, Supply, Treatment Plant-Tender No. WUC 015 (2018) is here by terminated,’ said the then Justice Tebogo Tau of the Lobatse High Court.

‘The Respondent (Water Utilities Corporation) agrees to pay the sum of P112 000 000.00 into the Trust Account of Tengo Rubadiri Attorneys on or before 1st June 2020, in full and final settlement of all contentions between the parties relating to the Invitation to Tender that was published by the respondent bearing the reference, essentially, Design, Supply, Treatment Plant – Tender No. WUC 015 (2018).’

The PAC also reopened questions over Tautona Lodge and Farm, a property reportedly bought by the DIS using operational funds.

In one of the report’s most startling findings, legislators noted that the property was not appearing in government books of account, neither was revenue allegedly generated from hotel operations.

The committee ordered the Accountant General and DIS to meet urgently and regularise the accounting treatment of the property and all income derived from it.

PAC further requested the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) to provide updates on the status of cases linked to the DIS including the water project matter.

Ccording to the report, ‘The Committee requested the DCEC to undertake the following:

Provide an update on the status of the cases and alleged interference by the Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS) on a water project.’

The report also paints a picture of internal dysfunction inside the spy agency.

Lawmakers noted that aggrieved staff members had repeatedly been forced to seek justice through the courts in disputes that could have been resolved internally through the Parliamentary Committee on Intelligence and Security (PCIS), the oversight body created under the DIS Act.

PAC observed that the DIS had lost a number of those cases.

The committee stated that the PCIS must be constituted and convened effectively to ensure accountability, transparency and adherence to the rule of law.

The timing of the report could not be more sensitive.

President Boko came to power promising institutional reform after years of criticism that Botswana’s democratic institutions had been hollowed out.

The PAC report goes beyond the DIS. It also laments slow progress across government ministries in implementing old PAC resolutions, exposing a wider culture of impunity and bureaucratic indifference.

But it is the DIS chapter that carries the greatest political danger.

For years, the intelligence agency was viewed by critics as untouchable. The PAC has now dragged it back under Parliament’s harsh lights.

According to the report; ‘The Committee expressed concern on the above and requested the Directorate of Intelligence and Security to undertake the following: the DIS should submit to the PAC an up-to-date report on the court cases lodged by its

staff and the outcomes thereof and the Tautona Lodge and farm, together with all revenue generated therein, should be captured in the government books of account according to the requirements of the

Public Financial Management Act.’

The latest Public Accounts Committee (PAC) findings have placed Parliament under an uncomfortable spotlight as they raise hard questions about institutional independence. The report also questions staff morale, governance and public accountability.

The Committee warned that Parliament risks losing public confidence if internal weaknesses are not urgently addressed.

‘It was brought to the attention of the Clerk of the National Assembly that the Parliament of Botswana is perceived as lacking independence,’ the report says.

The Clerk of the National Assembly reportedly acknowledged the concerns as he reportedly agreed that ‘it is critically important for Parliament to operate independently.’

The PAC is also demanding updates on reforms meant to strengthen that independence alongside broader institutional restructuring.

‘The Clerk acknowledged this concern and agreed that it is critically important for Parliament to operate independently. The Committee requested that the Clerk provide an update on any measures being taken or planned to enhance the independence of Parliament,’ says the report.

The report shows that at the centre of the report is a push for transparency. The Committee wants all parliamentary committees to be broadcast live, just like the Public Accounts Committee. It stated that this is ‘in the quest to educate the public on other oversight portfolios/mandates.’ In response, the administration indicated that ‘efforts are underway to explore mechanisms for ensuring that the proceedings of other Parliamentary Committees are also aired online.’

The report states that ‘The Accounting Officer committed to consult further on the possible implementation of the initiative and give an update; improving Performance of Parliament: The Clerk informed the Committee that capacity building and training initiatives were being implemented to ensure that Parliament becomes a high-performing institution.’

But beyond visibility, deeper structural issues were exposed. The Committee flagged low staff morale and demanded urgent reforms. The Clerk admitted that ‘a review of the Parliamentary organisational structure is underway to create job opportunities,’ while also acknowledging plans to revive training programmes for both MPs and staff.

However, MPs were not convinced by assurances alone. They pressed for concrete action, including updates on whether the Clerk had ‘held a general staff meeting with all Parliamentary staff,’ noting that only senior management engagements had taken place so far.

‘Further to that, the Clerk of the National Assembly was requested to provide an update on the departure of the Former Technical Advisor to the Public Accounts Committee (within the next 2 weeks),’ the report says.

Financial accountability also came under scrutiny. The PAC raised concerns over ‘excessive hotel costs’ linked to the accommodation of Members of the 12th Parliament at Avani Hotel while awaiting renovations to official residences. The Committee further instructed that the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) be invited to explain ‘the progress of investigations regarding the costs incurred.’

The report also demands updates on a wide range of reforms; from establishing a parliamentary budget office, to disposing of unused equipment, and even progress on intelligence and security committee structures.

The PAC has also lined up extensive site visits across the country, including infrastructure projects such as the North South Carrier, hospitals, roads, schools, and agricultural facilities.