Does Botswana need a standing army? (Part 1)

The debate over the need for military institutions has raged around the world in the past with pacifists voting for a no while pecimists accept the idea of growing a military. Each individual country has its own security needs and that is dependent on several factors existing in their environment.

This raises the question of whether Botswana needs a standing army. I spend a good 20 years as an officer in Botswana’s military and for the number of years I spent there, I am completely convinced that Botswana does not need a standing army.

In Part 2, I will argue for the need for a standing army and for me that is being a devil’s advocate. In the following episodes subsequent to that, I will bring a discussion on how we could trim and equip a lean defence force. Botswana government took a decision to establish Botswana Defence Force (BDF) in 1976 and implemented through an act of parliament the following year.

Editor's Comment
GBV: The big elephant in the room

Sadly, the country seems not to have proper tools and the extent to which women and the girl-child are being abused is not adequately measured.Almost every week there are reports of women being attacked by their significant others and while men are attacked as well, women seem to be more on the receiving end.On May 24, 2023 news broke that a woman who was receiving support from the Botswana Gender-Based Violence Prevention Centre in Gaborone, was...

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