Ministry takes over BNSC affairs
Calistus Kolantsho | Monday February 16, 2026 08:55
Kelebeng told MmegiSport yesterday (Thursday) that in the absence of the BNSC board, the ministry will provide operational direction.
He said they will do their best to fast-track the appointments of the new BNSC board. It remains to be seen who catches the minister’s eye to serve on the board for the next four years.
The new board will have a mammoth task to turn around sport, which is facing challenges ranging from a lack of sponsorship to inadequate facilities. The board is also expected to play a huge role in the return of school sport in public schools.
The Marumo Morule board’s term in office was staggered. For office bearers continuing from the old board, their terms were to end in 2027, and the new board members' terms were to run until 2028. Some of the highlights under the previous board were Botswana winning its first Olympic gold medal through Letsile Tebogo.
The incentives and rewards policy was improved to include athletes being rewarded with houses for bringing medals from the world championships in 2021.
The first batch of athletes to receive the houses was the men’s 4x400m relay team, which won a bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The second batch of recipients was rewarded with houses in 2024, which included the men’s 200m Olympic gold medallist, Letsile Tebogo, as well as the men’s 4x400m relay team, which won a silver medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The previous board oversaw Gaborone being awarded the rights to host World Athletics Relays, a first for the African continent. Some of the challenges the board had to deal with were an increase in the number of doping cases and infighting amongst sport codes, which led to legal tussles. Professor Tshepang Tshube said the minister must focus on individuals who can provide new direction to Botswana's sports.
“These individuals must have knowledge and skills that can provide strategic direction, policy oversight, and leadership to the BNSC. The chairperson of the board must at least be impartial, deeply knowledgeable, respected in the community, and demonstrate ethical competence,” said Tshube, who is an associate professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion at the University of Kentucky.
Board appointments have always been seen along political lines, which Tshube condemns. He said appointing a board according to political alignment is the worst any leader can do, especially in sport.
He explained that Rule 50 of the International Olympic Committee charter is clear, that all Olympic sports should demonstrate political neutrality. He said merit should determine who is appointed to the board, and the system used should be impartial and clear.