In early December 2025, amid simmering tensions and divisions, the beleaguered Botswana Motor Sports (BMS) held an elective Annual General Meeting (AGM).
At the meeting, members gave the then interim president Kagiso Modibedi a four-year mandate to lead the motor sports body. But it seems like the undercurrents of the divisions without BMS are yet to subside.
This past Friday, the parliament of Botswana became the new battleground for the BMS internal strife. The Minister of Sport and Arts Jacob Kelebeng found himself fielding questions from the Member of Parliament (MP) for Nkange Motlhaleemang Moalosi related to the BMS internal politics.
The Nkange legislator asked the minister the amount of money Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC) disbursed to Botswana Motor Sport (BMS) over the past ten (10) years.
Moalosi also wanted to know ‘the number of Annual General Meetings (AGMs) that BMS has held over the same period where financials have been presented,’ and ‘whether it is normal for tax payers’ money to be disbursed annually to an organisation that does not account for the said money.’
In relation to the status of BMS, Moalosi wanted the Minister of Sports to explain ‘which AGM minutes were used by BMS for re-registration with the Registrar of Societies since AGMs have not been held regularly.’
Responding to the questions, Kelebeng said in the period spanning between 2018/2019 and 2025/20, BMS activities been funded at the tune of P1, 070, 986. In the same period, BMS did not get any funding in 2020/21, 2021/22 and 2022/23.
The minister further said in the ten-year period under question, BMS had ‘held four (4) AGMs.’ ‘The meetings were held in 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2021. Of these meetings, financials were only presented at the 2019 Assembly following prolonged handover process between elected committees during the period.’
On the alleged failure of BMS to account for monies disbursed to it annually, the Minister said ‘the ministry is not aware y is not aware of any instance in which Botswana Motor Sport has failed to account for funds made available to it through the Botswana National Sport Commission.’
‘The Ministry therefore confirms that financial accountability mechanisms are in place and fully applied ensuring that all taxpayers funds are utilised and used in the correct manner aimed at supporting and developing motorsport in Botswana,’ Kelebeng said.
While the questions by the Nkange parliamentarian seemed innocuous, Kelebeng, as with those within the BMS corridors were not lost to their intent. They meant the internal wars at the BMS were now played on the public sphere and in parliament to be precise.
Tellingly, Kelebeng told Moalosi that his ministry ‘is aware of the current internal disputes and differences within the association.’ He added that as a minister, he had ‘taken steps to address these challenges.’
Not ready to let go, Moalosi raised supplementary questions, in which he alleged that the current BMS committee had been in office for ten years. He alleged this has led to stalled growth within motor sports.
However, Kelebeng refused to delve further in the matter. ‘I am not in a position to dig deep into this issue right now because even honourable Moalosi knows he is an interested party in the matter. That is why I do not want to answer him in this platform because processes are underway to solve the problems.’
Moalosi’s questions, though not surprising, have not gone down well with the BMS leadership. BMS president Kagiso Modibedi says the issue ‘has been presented as if the current committee had been deliberately refusing to present financial statements,’ had fraudulently ‘re-registered with the Registrar of Societies,’ and or ‘refused to vacate office.’
‘We had our elective General Meeting in December 2025 where the general membership of BMS gave us a four-year mandate to lead the association. That is why the majority of them are okay with the current leadership, save for two disgruntled members.’
‘Our wish is that the honourable member would have engaged us on this matter as the BMS before going public. He only ran with one side of the story and did not ask for ours. This can be taken to show he has taken sides on the internal conflicts within the BMS,’ Modibedi said.
The BMS president further said Moalosi, as an interested party in the matter, was aware of the challenges the association had faced in the past ten years dating to 2016. ‘After the then president’s committee was dissolved by the Botswana National Sports Commission (BNSC), no proper handover was done. The president refused with the annual returns, thus frustrating any process of renewing registration with the Registrar of Societies.’
‘It was only in 2024 when the government issued a directive waving all outstanding annual returns for societies that we were able to re-register. Since re-registration, we have managed to do all the returns as expected and we are compliant. We have taken all things that were hindering us since 2016 out of the way and we are now rebuilding the association,’ Modibedi said.
The BMS president further said the BMS is open to engage with the disgruntled members to forge a way forward. He lamented that they took the path to take their problem to parliament through the Nkange legislator, which he said may politicise it.
In the meantime, he says the BMS would continue to engage in the processes led by the minister of sports to address the internal strife. While he refused to divulge details, he said the processes have begun and a meeting with the minister has already been held.