Features :: Mmegi Online

Friday, March 13, 2026

Main bids farewell to Botswana after 45 years of adventure

I must confess that my first encounter with Mike Main, some 17 years ago, was anything but cordial. At the time, I had summoned this tall, imposing Englishman to my office for conducting a work camp with American students at the Motsenekatse site near Molapowabojang without the requisite permission.

Phillip Segadika | 13 March 2026

Legendary: Main

Participants during the Mmegi and FNB roundtable event PIC: KENNEDY RAMOKONE

Making PPPs work

As the government signals a shift towards a more private sector-driven economy, attention has increasingly turned to whether Botswana’s businesses are ready to assume a larger role in financing and delivering development projects.

Lewanika Timothy | 13 March 2026

Time-honoured: Women have given of themselves every day since time immemorial
PIC: ISTOCKPHOTO

Giving is the new ‘empowering’: My take on IWD 2026

As I reflect on International Women's Day (IWD), I am struck by the powerful theme "Give To Gain". It is a call to action that resonates deeply with me, especially when I think about the women of Botswana.

Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | 06 March 2026

Diplomatic corps meeting. PIC BWPRESIDENCY FACEBOOK

A gathering of international goodwill

On Tuesday, the country’s Diplomatic Corps, comprising ambassadors, heads of supranationals and other development partners sat from early in the morning to late evening engaging with government on an economic and development recovery. MBONGENI MGUNI & TSAONE BASIMANEBOTLHE write on the goodwill Botswana continues to attract globally

Mbongeni Mguni,Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | 06 March 2026

Wilderness Safaris champions Botswana’s premium tourism model at ITB Berlin 2026

BERLIN -Okavango Wilderness Safaris (OWS) doubled down on its commitment to destination marketing with dual-stand presence and sponsorship of the Botswana Tourism Organisation’s “Botswana Night” reception. Kabelo Binns, OWS board chairman, spoke to DAVID KARABO

DAVID KARABO | 06 March 2026

Economic arsenal: The Bank of Botswana is government’s primary economic advisor PIC: BANK OF BOTSWANA

A frank-talk ‘shootout’ at the BoB

Former president Festus Mogae’s famous phrase ‘straight talk breaks no friendships’ was in play recently when top current and former Bank of Botswana executives, the Finance Ministry permanent secretary and bank CEOs, publicly shared frank views on the economy. MBONGENI MGUNI was in the audience

Mbongeni Mguni | 06 March 2026

Shining on: Diamonds retain a role to play as the economy transforms

It’s not diamonds or: It’s diamonds and...

Every debate about diamonds is met by choruses of how the stones that built Botswana are effectively dead and work should exclusively be on what comes next. Policymakers however say this is classic binary thinking. They instead prefer a “diamonds and” approach which includes critical minerals and broader transformational efforts. With diamond exports up 8% to P38.4bn as at Nov 2025, the policymakers feel emboldened, writes MBONGENI MGUNI

Mbongeni Mguni | 06 March 2026

Out of reach: Premium bread prices are frequently over P20 in most supermarkets PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO

The ever-increasing cost of food

Every trip to a retail store costs more than the previous one, with food prices rising steadily across supermarket shelves. The cost of milk, bread and God forbid we talk about cereals, has been climbing to levels that are steadily eroding the purchase power of every pula in the consumer’s pocket. But questions remain whether the price increases are purely market driven or whether some retailers are taking advantage of a strained market, writes TIMOTHY LEWANIKA

Lewanika Timothy | 06 March 2026

Fintech: Mobile money usage is on the rise in Africa PIC: VIKTORIA SLOWIKOWSKA

Mobile money: Tax vs digital inclusion

From Nairobi to Accra, Lagos to Gaborone, digital wallets are no longer supplementary tools, they are the primary way through which households send support, small businesses trade, informal workers get paid and public services collect revenue. This reality makes the growing move by African governments to tax mobile money transactions both understandable and potentially destabilising.

Staff Writer | 27 February 2026

Pushing on: Moshoke PIC MORERI SEJAKGOMO

The toils of citizen entrepreneurship

Elliot Moshoke says his Acute Global Group has written off Payless as an investment and is moving on, after pumping in more than P40 million on the venture. The entrepreneur tells MBONGENI MGUNI & PAULINE DIKUELO that significant barriers exist in the retail space

Mbongeni Mguni,Pauline Dikuelo | 20 February 2026

Trust, after the benefit of the doubt

Taazima Kala-Essack | 20 February 2026

Batswana invited to enter prestigious Tusk Conservation Awards

Staff Writer | 20 February 2026

Higher taxes, better collections or both?

Mbongeni Mguni | 20 February 2026

FMD crisis: A tale of two countries

Lesedi Mkhutshwa,Larona Makhaiza,Kennedy Ramokone | 13 February 2026

FMD throws North East into life-or-death fight

Lesedi Mkhutshwa,Larona Makhaiza | 13 February 2026

FMD-hit farmers demand access to Tati land

Larona Makhaiza,Lesedi Mkhutshwa | 13 February 2026

Air Botswana plane. PIC MORERI SEJAKGOMO

Air Botswana scraps three routes as losses deepen

The national carrier Air Botswana, has suspended three recently introduced regional routes after incurring losses of about P44.5 million on the services, underscoring the deepening financial strain at one of the country’s most troubled state-owned enterprises.

'I didn't steal anything'

Businessman Bakang Seretse says he was not shocked after learning that criminal charges against him had been reinstated, saying he expected the matter could return despite earlier court decisions connected to the case.

Murder accused quartet fail to appear before court

Four men facing a single count of murder over a suspected stolen phone failed to appear before court this morning. The accused are out on bail.

World Cup venue: Sofi Stadium in California PIC:DEZEEN.COM

Geopolitics take centre stage ahead of World Cup

The political tensions, rather than the excitement on the pitch, build up to FIFA’s biggest tournament, are threatening to take centre stage in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, reports MQONDISI DUBE

The incident comes despite a ruling by the High Court of Botswana in December last year PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO

ZCC Mogoditshane church dispute turns violent

Chaos briefly disrupted Sunday worship at the Mogoditshane branch of the St Engenas Zion Christian Church (ZCC) after a simmering leadership dispute between rival factions erupted into a dramatic confrontation.

Ombudsman takes bold step, subpoenas ministries

Following a long-standing concern that the ministries and government departments delay in addressing Ombudsman cases, the office has resorted to using the power of subpoena to compel attendance.

Court voids BPF elections over irregular electoral authority

The Lobatse High Court has nullified Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) National Executive Committee (NEC) elections. I

A promising step for public schools, but...

For too long, the state of many public schools has been a source of shame. We have all seen the pictures and heard the stories of broken windows, unreliable water and electricity, topped by classrooms that are not fit for proper learning. The establishment of the Education Infrastructure and Management Company Ltd (EIMC) signals that authorities are finally ready to take this problem seriously. We must commend the government for this initiative....

The Monitor Editor | 17 March 2026

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