馃嚙馃嚰BotswanaSouthern Africa
Lesotho Prime Minister's use of Botswana's presidential jet sparks debate
via Mmegi2 min read
Lesotho's Prime Minister Samuel Matekane traveled to Gaborone aboard Botswana's presidential jet, OK1, a move that has drawn public scrutiny regarding the use of state resources. President Duma Boko defended the arrangement, stating it was an act of neighborly assistance due to Matekane's logistical difficulties. However, Leader of Opposition Dumelang Saleshando criticized the decision as an abuse of state resources, particularly given Botswana's current fiscal strain. Saleshando argued that using the presidential aircraft for a foreign head of government is not a normal occurrence. The incident has reignited concerns about government spending on presidential travel, a historically sensitive expenditure item in Botswana, despite President Boko's framing of it as regional cooperation within the Southern African Development Community.
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Mmegi.
The Independent Electoral Commission IEC in Botswana is moving forward with plans to digitize the country's electoral processes in preparation for the 2029 General Election. IEC Secretary Jefferson Siamisang stated that the commission is implementing technology-driven reforms to modernize voter registration, enhance electoral data management, and reduce administrative errors. These remarks were made during his appearance before the 62nd Public Accounts Committee PAC. Siamisang also noted that Batswana are not in favor of Electronic Voting Machines EVMs, clarifying that this was his personal opinion based on past attempts to introduce the technology and public feedback.
Must ReadBotswana's Public Accounts Committee PAC has decided to refer the Gabane infrastructure development project to the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime DCEC for investigation. This action follows concerns over a cost escalation that saw the project's expenditure increase by more than P107 million above its initial contract value. The decision was made during a session where officials from the Ministry of Local Government and Traditional Affairs appeared before the committee. The project, awarded to Asphalt Botswana under the Economic Stimulus Programme ESP, included the construction of stormwater drainage, 21.2 kilometers of bitumen roads, and 4.5 kilometers of street lighting. Initially contracted for approximately P214 million, the final amount paid reached about P285 million, as confirmed by Tshepo Kebakile, Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and Traditional Affairs, in response to an inquiry from Ga-Malete Member of Parliament, Boniface Mabeo.
The Mmegi website, an independent news source in Botswana, returned a '404 The page you're looking for does not exist!' error when attempting to access a specific article. The site offers news on politics, business, sport, and entertainment, and provides options to explore its homepage, subscribe to updates, and follow on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.