Category: Sunday Standard

Botswana’s agriculture sector is inching back to stability as commercial farmers in Pandamatenga resume ploughing after a brief standstill triggered by delayed government payments. The restart follows partial settlement of long-overdue debts, a move authorities hope will steady confidence ahead of the next planting cycle.

Ryan Neil, Vice Chair of the Pandamatenga Commercial Farmers Association, confirmed that the Ministry of Lands and Agriculture, working with CEDA and NDB, has secured P206 million to offset part of the P271 million owed. The remaining P65 million, he said, is expected to follow. Farmers owed less than P1 million have now been paid in full, while those owed more have received seventy-four percent of their dues.

While Pandamatenga shows signs of recovery, pressure is building elsewhere. The national grain farmers’ association has issued a stark warning, saying the state and BAMB must immediately settle between P260 million and P300 million owed for grain delivered since April. Farmers have supplied roughly 120,000 tonnes of crops this year, including more than 80,000 tonnes of sorghum, yet many remain unpaid as the rains arrive. The association cautioned that the sector is at risk of a historic production halt, with farmers surviving on overdrafts priced as high as Prime plus nine percent.

Acting Minister of Lands and Agriculture Edwin Dikoloti told Parliament the government is working urgently to resolve the arrears. On December 5, government allocated P206 million to BAMB for the 2025 harvest payments, with some disbursements already reaching farmers.

For now, fields in Pandamatenga are turning once more, but the sector’s resilience remains under strain.

On the 2nd and 3rd May 2026, less than five months from today, the world’s best track athletes will be in Gaborone to compete in the World Athletics Relays Gaborone 26.

The relays, which feature teams from various countries, will see twenty-four teams per race, compete across six events. The six events are women’s 4x100m relay and 4x400m relay, Men’s 4x100m relay and 4x400m relay as well as the 4x100m and 4x400m mixed relays.

According to the published calendar, the two-day competition will kick off with the heats of the mixed 4x100m and the mixed 4x400m, and conclude with the women’s and men’s 4x400m finals. Along with the calendar of the event, World Athletics has also launched the ‘road to’ tracking tool, which is meant to ‘help athletes, media and fans follow the qualification process for the global event.’

Unlike any time before, teams will battle for more than just prize monies and titles when they meet in Gaborone. At stake will be an opportunity for teams in some events to qualify for the inaugural 2026 World Athletics Ultimate Championship, World Athletics’ first mega-rich competition with a US$10 million prize pot.

‘There are qualification opportunities on both days of competition in Gaborone. Six teams in both the mixed 4x100m and mixed 4x400m in Gaborone will qualify for the 2026 Ultimate Championship, while 12 teams in every event in Gaborone will qualify for the 2027 World Championships.’

‘On day one, eight teams in each of the six relay events will qualify for Beijing through qualification round one. These teams will then contest the final to compete for World Relays titles and prize money. Another four teams in each of the six events will secure their spots for Beijing through qualification round two on day two. The second day of competition will also see six teams in each of the two mixed relay events qualify for Budapest,’ World Athletics says in a statement.

With so much at stake, World Athletics Relays Gaborone 26 Local Organising Committee (LOC) is pulling all stops to make the competition a success. ‘Preparations are at an advanced stage. We are now ready to welcome teams to Botswana,’ World Athletics Relays Gaborone 26 chief executive officer (CEO) Moses Bantsi says.

Though collaborations with stakeholders, the LOC has already ensured accommodation is available for teams and officials. The same applies to issues of security, with Bantsi adamant that the country will deliver a safe world class event.

The World Athletics Relays Gaborone 26 CEO says they expect the event’s tickets to go on sale early in January. ‘If it had been according to our plan, the tickets would be on sale now. But we are talking here of an international event and due diligence is needed. We have to make sure we have a smooth ticketing system where everyone will know where they are sitting. We do not want to have a situation where people are allocated the same seat.’

For locals who would want to watch the world’s best track athletes live, buying tickets as soon as they go on sale is a necessity. As this will be an international event, there will be no ticket allocation reserved for locals, meaning they will have to fight for tickets with other spectators across the world.

While preparations are at an advanced stage, organisers are however still sweating over sponsorships. Bantsi says the organisers are still miles away from meeting their budgetary needs for the event.

So far, only three sponsors have come on board. The three are Halfway Toyota for transport, Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC) for connectivity and Diamond College, who will be the event’s medal sponsors.

‘We have sent proposals to various potential sponsors and negotiations are ongoing. Some have promised to get back to us. We are very hopeful other sponsors will come on board,’ Bantsi says.

On Friday, the acting Minister of Sport and Arts (MOSA) Lawerence Ookeditse bid farewell to a team he dubbed ‘the country’s crown jewels’ as it prepared to jet off to Angola to compete at the 4th African Youth Games (AYG).

The team, made of athletes between the ages of 14 and 17 years, will test its development against agemates from 53 other African countries in a competition running from the 10th to the 20th of December 2025.

Addressing the athletes, Ookeditse said there is no pressure on them. He encouraged them to go out, have fun and make friends. Whilst doing that, they also had to give all their best, understanding the games mark the start of their sporting careers.

‘Your participation in these games is not an end in itself, but it is a powerful beginning as we are building athletes, who will soon be ready for the youth Olympic Games and ultimately the Olympic Games, with Los Angeles 2028 fast approaching. And you, as youngsters, are not merely representing us today, you are shaping the future for all of us.’

The acting minister said over the years, Botswana had established herself as a formidable sporting nation. He pointed that the country has had generations of extraordinary performers, in the likes of Amantle Montsho, Isaac Makwala, Nijel Amos and lately Letsile Tebogo, Collen Kebinatshipi and many others, who he compelled them to look up to for inspiration.

‘All of these people were you at some point. They are not coming from somewhere different. They are superstars, let us appreciate that. But in terms of where they come from, they are nothing special. They are like you and I. We are the same, and that says to you that you could do better than what those superstars have done.’

‘We are not going to put you under pressure. You are going to enjoy yourselves, but at the back of your minds know that you could be the next big thing. That you are already here says you are among the top 2 percent of the athletes in your age category in our country. So, it says to you that your future is bright in this regard,’ Ookeditse said.

While encouraging to put effort in sport, he cautioned them to not forsake their education. He advised them to balance between school and sport, and equally put effort on both.

‘You can excel in sport, and still do very well in whatever you pursue in your academic life. So, it should not be that to be a good athlete replaces your being good with your books.’

While there will be ‘no pressure or medal expectations’ placed on them, the games will however be of crucial importance for the athletes and the country. The games will serve as qualifiers for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.

Botswana’s AYG team heading to Angola is composed of athletes from fourteen (14) sporting codes, being athletics, badminton, beach volleyball, boxing, cycling, fencing, horse (equestrian), judo, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis and weightlifting.

For years, the children of Maruapula have watched golf from a distance – the manicured greens of the Blue Tree Golf Course visible from their streets but never quite within reach. On Thursday, that barrier shifted. Bona Life, in collaboration with Excel Golf Academy, formally launched the Maruapula Loxion Golf Programme. This is a youth initiative that aims to introduce about 100 children to a sport long viewed as distant, exclusive and reserved for the well-off.

The launch unfolded quietly but purposefully, with a tone that suggested this was not just another corporate announcement. Bona Life CEO Phatsimo Keakabetse, who has only recently stepped into the world of golf herself, set the tone early. Her reflections on the sport were less about technique and more about its deeper lessons – the kind that linger beyond the fairway.

‘I’m a fairly new although I use ‘new’ loosely – golfer,’ she said with a warm smile, gesturing toward the children gathered near the practice range. ‘But what I’ve learnt is that golf is more than a sport. It builds discipline; it builds character; it’s a classroom on its own.’

She spoke about golf’s quietly demanding nature, a place where honesty is not monitored by a referee but enforced by personal integrity. ‘When you want to know a person, play a round with them,’ she said. ‘In golf, you learn to be your own referee. You know when you’re wrong and when you’re right. These are values we need to instil in our children.’

It was a message that seemed to resonate with the parents who had gathered for the launch, many of whom had never imagined watching their children swing clubs on a course they had long viewed as off-limits. Keakabetse thanked them for their commitment, particularly those who helped transport multiple children to training sessions – small gestures, she said, that reveal a community’s strength. ‘Our sense of community is still intact,’ she added. ‘And that is why programmes like this can thrive.’

The programme itself grew out of a simple but revealing observation: Maruapula’s children live closer to a golf course than most in Gaborone, yet few have ever set foot on it. Excel Golf Academy coach Mpho Kelosiwang spoke plainly about that contradiction.

‘Golf is traditionally perceived as a sport for the rich,’ he said. ‘And I don’t think any of us doesn’t want to be rich, but accessibility for the middle class has always been a problem.’

He explained that the academy identified a real gap – a community within sight of the sport yet separated from it by cost, culture and a lack of structured pathways. ‘Last year we commenced the programme,’ he said. ‘Our objective was to have 100 kids playing. Up to now, three come every Sunday.’

The number three seems small, but Kelosiwang insisted it was a beginning rather than a measure of success. For him, the point is creating a foundation sturdy enough to grow. He said the decision to have children in the programme train alongside the academy’s junior golfers was deliberate – an attempt to dismantle the social distance that often surrounds golf. Children from different backgrounds, he said, should learn together, compete together and view each other as equals.

The programme’s next phase aims to expand even further. Beyond athletic training, Kelosiwang said plans are underway to incorporate academic support, creating a space where children learn both in the classroom and on the course. ‘When they come here, we want them to be drilled academically as well,’ he said.

For parents, that holistic vision feels especially meaningful. Many expressed gratitude that their children are being given the chance not only to engage with a new sport but to claim a space that once belonged to others.

Parent Dikeledi Roy captured that sentiment simply. ‘Thanks to PGA and Bona Life for seeing our children as the future,’ she said. ‘We thank them for investing in Maruapula kids. We are indeed pleased.’

Botswana Premier League (BPL) clubs are not happy with how the broadcasting rights money has been shared between them and the league secretariat. The teams say most of the money has been allocated to the league office instead of supporting clubs.

Thirteen clubs have written a petition to the league chairman to protest the decision. They argue that the money should help the teams directly because they are the ones carrying the financial burden of running football activities every week.

‘You would know that our teams are overstretched with the day-to-day running of team affairs. As such, any income or sponsorship intended to help the teams should do exactly that. It should not be diverted or treat the teams as secondary beneficiaries,’ the petition from the clubs reads.

The 13 teams which have signed the petition are Calendar Stars, Extension Gunners, Mochudi Centre Chiefs, Police, Orapa United, Tafic, Black Lions, Township Rollers, Morupule Wanderers, Nico United, Gaborone United, Matebele and Santa Green. The three that did not sign are BDF XI, Jwaneng Galaxy and Sua Flamingoes.

Information given to the clubs shows that the league board resolved to allocate 36.8% of the broadcasting money to the teams, while 63.2% will go to the league office for administrative operations. The national broadcasting rights are worth P5 million. Based on the current allocation, the league office will receive P3,160,000 while the 16 premier league teams will share P1,840,000.

Clubs argued that such an allocation is unfair. They are demanding that 80% of the P5 million should go to the clubs and only 20% should be kept by the league office. The clubs have gone as far as threatening not to allow their matches to be televised if their demands are ignored.

‘We demand that the teams receive 80% of the BTV monies, and the office keeps 20% as an administration fee. If the board does not agree, we, the undersigned teams, have decided that we will not allow our matches to be broadcast on national television,’ the petition reads.

In response to the petition, Botswana Football League (BFL) board chairperson informed the teams their request will have adverse implications on the day-to-day operations of the league secretariat.

‘We acknowledge receipt of your letter requesting that clubs be paid 80% of the P5 million television rights revenue for the current season. We appreciate the engagement and wish to provide full clarity on the league’s financial position, operations and the implications of your request.’

The chairperson reminded the teams that the Botswana Football League is a private company owned by the 16 clubs. He explained that the league office, also known as the secretariat, is responsible for organising and managing competitions on behalf of the teams. This includes arranging fixtures, appointing and paying referees, and ensuring that competitions are run according to the rules.

He also noted that since its formation, the BFL has never received capital funding from its shareholders, who are the clubs. Because of this, the secretariat relies completely on sponsorship money and broadcasting income to carry out its duties.

The chairperson pointed out that in previous seasons, the league received P8 million in television rights. Under that arrangement, each club received P200,000 while the remaining amount was used to fund league operations. He stressed that the league must cover several mandatory match-day expenses, which amount to about P3.6 million. These include paying referees, security, medical services, match commissioners and other operational costs required for every game.

He further said while the league understands the financial struggles of the clubs, ‘if the league office does not receive enough money, it will not be able to run the league smoothly.’ He said the current broadcast revenue is already lower than in previous years, making it difficult to meet all operational needs.

The matter remains unresolved, and the teams are still waiting for further engagement from the league board. For now, the threat to block TV coverage remains on the table as the clubs push for a bigger share of the broadcasting money.

On the 28th of November, this past Saturday, three elite men boxers from Botswana left the country to compete at the 2025 IBA Men’s Elite World Championships.

The two-week long boxing festival is organised by the International Boxing Association (IBA). It is billed for December 2 to December 13 at Dubai’s iconic Tennis Stadium. And unlike any other time before, this championship promises to be a spectacle.

For the first time, there will be much more than just medals and pride to fight for. This particular championship promises to be the richest in IBA’s history. There is a purse totalling a little over US$8 million for boxers to dip their gloves on, with winners, runner ups and those finishing in top five expected to take something home.

And for financially struggling boxing associations like Botswana Boxing Association (BoBA), there will be an opportunity to gain money. That is provided their boxers finish in the top five during the two-week long championship.

According to information from IBA, winners in each weight category will be awarded a mouth-watering US$300,000 (+/- 4 million Pula) per weight category. Second and third place will earn $150,000 and $75,000 per weight category, with fifth place getting $10,000 per weight category.

From these prize monies, boxers will be entitled to half of the money, while coaches and national federations will be entitled to 25% apiece. IBA says ‘the prize distribution celebrates the combined efforts of boxers, their coaches and their respective National Federations, with each payout shared to recognise their collective contributions.’

‘This World Championships is not just about records and prize money – it is about giving every boxer, every coach and every National Federation the respect and reward they deserve,’ said President Umar Kremlev.

For BoBA, any hope of dipping their fingers on this million-dollar pot rests on the youthful shoulders of Kobamelo Molatlhegi, Ribbin Modise and Katlego Keorapetse, led by coach Chonga Ntoti who will be assisted by coach Tanaka Rauwe.

BoBA Publicity Secretary Kabelo Seleka says the championship will offer the three boxers ‘a platform to prove themselves.’ He says the trio were chosen following a rigorous selection process.

‘Their selection is a culmination of work undertaken by BoBa’s coaches commission, development committee and the competitions committee. From the beginning of the year, these committees were at work watching boxers. Their input was critical in the team selection,’ he says.

Among other things, the boxers were selected based on their attendance of BoBA competitions, their performances, technical ability as well as potential to develop further.

‘We are looking beyond just this championship. We also want to build a team to compete at the next Olympics. If you look at the current team, it is made of youthful boxers with a room to develop. The oldest is Molatlhegi who is 25-years old,’ Seleka says.

While optimistic the boxers will represent the country well, there will always be some wariness on BoBA to put them under pressure. Due to lack of funds, the boxers have not had the best of preparations. The team started camp this past Thursday, meaning they only had two days in camp before departing for Dubai.

Seleka says this was partly due to lack of funds. He says the association had to scrape here and there to even ensure the team could participate at the upcoming IBA elite championships.

As to why the country will send only three boxers, the BoBA publicity secretary says countries were given quotas by the organisers. Botswana was thus given only three slots. Had it not been for that, the country could have tried to send more boxers.

Meanwhile, BoBA president Dirang Thipe and the association’s Secretary General Tshiamo Moalosi are expected to jet off to Dubai on the 11th of December to attend the IBA Congress.

Seleka says if the local boxers are still in the tournament by the time the two arrive, they will have an opportunity to join them. ‘That however depends on how far our boxers will go. If they are not eliminated and are still there when they arrive, then they will join the team,’ he says.

The congress will be Thipe and Moalosi’s first as BoBA president and Secretary General respectively.

Botswana Power Corporation has ended a two-week period of nationwide load shedding after stabilising generation at the problem-ridden Morupule B power plant. The power cuts, introduced mid-month after a series of forced outages, were lifted following the restoration of one of the plant’s major generating units.

BPC spokesperson Kefilwe Kebafetotse said the recovered unit has strengthened baseload supply and eased pressure on the grid. ‘The restored unit is expected to improve baseload generation capacity, thereby contributing to a more stable power supply,’ she said. Kebafetotse, however, warned that supply remains fragile, noting that unexpected dips in generation may still force the utility to reintroduce controlled outages to protect grid stability.

The easing of load shedding comes as President Duma Boko unveils a major turnaround plan for Botswana’s power sector. Speaking this week, the President confirmed that government will sign an agreement with a consortium of large private investors to overhaul the energy system, upgrade Morupule B, reconfigure Morupule A and modernise the transmission network.

Boko said the partnership aims to transform Botswana into a self-sufficient energy producer, reversing years of costly imports from South Africa. He noted that while Morupule A had been earmarked for decommissioning in 2027, new investment will extend its life by up to 15 years.

A modernised grid would also enable Botswana to export surplus electricity to markets such as Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo through the Southern African Power Pool, positioning the country as a regional energy supplier and freeing up an estimated P3 billion currently spent on imports for local development.

Botswana has slipped two places in the 2025 Global Peace Index, ranking 43rd out of 163 countries, according to data released by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP). The Index, which evaluates 163 countries across three domains: Ongoing Conflict, Societal Safety and Security, and Militarisation; found that 87 countries became less peaceful this year. Botswana’s marginal decline, analysts say, reflects rising defence expenditures and the geopolitical tremors emanating from conflicts as distant as Ukraine and Gaza.

Botswana’s score deteriorated slightly amid rising regional insecurity and a global uptick in militarisation. While Botswana’s domestic safety indicators remain strong, its neighbourhood tells another story. Escalating violence in the Great Lakes region, extremist attacks in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado, and coups across West Africa have all contributed to a continent under siege.

In 2024, the Peace Index estimated the economic impact of violence in Botswana at P88,270,842,360 ($6,584,334,726). This represents a modest decrease of P236, 881, 183 ($17, 669, 538) from the 2023 figure of P88, 507, 723, 543 ($6,602,004,264). Sub-Saharan Africa saw peace levels decline in more than half its countries, driven by intensifying conflicts in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Sahel.

The southern African nation’s overall peace score of 1.743 places it just behind Taiwan and ahead of Timor-Leste – a reminder that small nations with democratic stability can still be affected by broader continental dynamics.

Across the region, deteriorations were recorded in 23 of 44 countries, largely due to higher military spending, internal displacement, and ongoing cross-border conflicts. The report warns that such pressures could ‘strain domestic governance and erode the structural underpinnings of peace’ if left unchecked.

The Ministry of Finance on Friday said it was seeking parliamentary approval for P8.83 billion under the Twelfth National Development Plan (NDP 12), laying out a digital-first reform package that aims to tighten fiscal controls, modernise tax collection, and crowd in private sector growth.

Presenting the Public Investment Programme (PIP), Minister of Finance Ndaba Gaolathe said the funds-covering both ongoing and new projects-will ‘build the foundations of a new economy.’ Of the total, P2.07 billion will complete existing projects, while P6.76 billion is earmarked for new ones aligned with the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme (BETP).

The Botswana Unified Revenue Service (BURS) takes the biggest slice at P4.13 billion, with key projects including the rollout of electronic VAT invoicing, digital taxation for online services, and upgraded border infrastructure. Gaolathe said the reforms would expand Botswana’s tax base and improve compliance, helping fund social and infrastructure programmes sustainably.

Technology and digital systems dominate the ministry’s agenda, with P486 million allocated to ICT development projects such as a national payment switch, an upgraded accounting and budgeting system, and a regulatory sandbox for fintech innovation. The government also plans to introduce an e-procurement platform to curb corruption and inefficiencies.

State-owned enterprises will receive P2.3 billion for restructuring, including transforming the National Development Bank into an agricultural lender, while P1.29 billion is set aside for infrastructure development, including new offices for key financial institutions.

‘This plan is about dignity, opportunity, and hope,’ Gaolathe told Parliament. ‘It’s about building an economy that creates jobs, rewards innovation, and ensures every Pula collected works for the people of Botswana.’

The upcoming Women’s National League is expected to boost competition and encourage more girls across the country to actively take part in football. This was said by Botswana Football Association (BFA) Women’s Football Committee Chairperson, Keeng Mosinyi, in an interview with Sunday Standard Sport.

Mosinyi says the introduction of the national league marks a major step in the growth of women’s football in the country. This will be an improvement from the previous setup in which teams played in regional leagues without much incentive.

‘In the previous setup, teams were just playing to honour matches because there were no promotions or relegation,’ she says. ‘Now, with the introduction of a national league, teams know what is at stake. This will motivate both players and clubs to take the league seriously.’

Under the new format, the top teams from the North and South zones will face each other at the end of the season to decide which team represents Botswana in the CAF Women’s Champions League. This is expected to improve the standard of local football and give players exposure to higher levels of competition.

One of the biggest changes, according to the BFA Women’s Football Committee Chairperson, is that teams will now travel to play against opponents from other regions, unlike before when matches were played only within the same area.

‘Teams will now travel across regions, meeting different opponents and styles of play. This will increase competition and help raise the level of the game,’ she says. ‘It will also push regions to work harder to develop women’s football.’

Mosinyi is hopeful that the new league format will also create opportunities for players in other regions to be noticed and to be considered for the national team. ‘The national league will expose more players to competitive football and help identify new talent. It will give the Mares a wider pool of players to choose from and may even open doors for some players to move to professional leagues in the region.’

She says FIFA has approved funding to support women’s football development, and part of it will be used to help clubs manage their operations. The national league teams will receive equipment such as playing kits, balls, cones, nets and other training materials.

‘The FIFA funds will also be used to pay match officials. This is important because it helps professionalise the league and ensures that matches are managed well.’

Meanwhile, the BFA women’s football committee chairperson has implored the private sector and football fans to support women clubs. She says many teams are still struggling financially.

‘Teams are financially struggling, and there is a need for the private sector to come on board to sponsor the teams or the league. We also encourage supporters to attend matches in large numbers. Their support means a lot to the players.’

Mosinyi says the women’s National League is a big opportunity to transform women’s football in Botswana. She says it will not only improve competition but also give hope to many young girls who want to pursue football as a career.

‘With this league, we are building a strong foundation for the future of women’s football. It is a chance for our players to grow, compete and make their mark at national and international level.’

The women national league is expected to kick off in December.