Botswana denies hosting a US military base
correspondent | Tuesday March 17, 2026 15:37
For years now, Botswana has been repeatedly accused of hosting the US Military Base, with popular South African politician, Julius Malema, at the forefront of the allegations.
In an attempt to put an end to the matter to the on going debate whether Botswana does have a US military base, government released a statement this morning to set the record straight.
“The government of Botswana wishes to address and correct misinformation circulating on various media and political discourse regarding the Thebephatswa Air Base,” read the statement.
The statement lamented that Botswana does not have a US base, quashing all the allegations. “Botswana does not host a United States military base,” it read.
Government cleared that the Thebephatswa base earmarked to be that of US wholly belongs to Botswana.
“Thebephatswa Air Base is a sovereign military installation owned, operated and controlled entirely by the Botswana government through the Botswana Defence Force (BDF),”
It further read, “The facility serves Botswana’s national interests of enhancing emergency response capabilities, supporting regional peacekeeping and humanitarian efforts and maintaining the operational readiness of our armed forces,” read the statement.
The country has cautioned people against peddling propaganda and soiling the name of Botswana.
“While robust debate on matters of national interest is both healthy and welcome in a democracy. It is important that discussions concerning national security are grounded in verified facts rather than speculation,” the statement read.
In the midst of all this, government stressed that false narratives can put a strain on diplomatic relations.
“Misinformation particularly when amplified across borders has the potential to create unnecessary misunderstanding among citizens and between neighbouring countries. Botswana values its strong relationships with all its neighbours,” read the statement.