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  • Women Empowerment Key to National Development

    Women Empowerment Key to National Development

    Empowering women is crucial for national development, says acting Department of Gender Affairs officer, Mr Nelson Molapi during the commemoration of International Women’s Day for Women Police Officers in Francistown on Wednesday. 

    Mr Molapi, said empowering women was about equal opportunities, not competition with men. He highlighted the importance of equal promotion and leadership opportunities, professional development and safe work environments for women police officers.

    “For women police officers, empowerment includes equal opportunities for promotion and leadership and continuous professional development as well as safe and supportive workplace environments,” he said

    Women in policing play a vital role in society, serving with courage and professionalism, and contributing to justice and public safety. Mr Molapi mentioned that the commemoration of International Women’s Day does not only remind the world of the great strides made in advancing the rights of women and girls but also reflects on work that still lies ahead.

    He therefore encouraged women to support each other, mentor young girls, and promote respect and dignity in workplaces and homes.

    Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr Bonosi Molapisi, praised women police officers, citing their leadership, resilience, and networking abilities.  It is to this end, Assistant Commissioner Molapisi said women as agents of change, should believe in themselves so that they could continue to positively influence a larger spectrum of the society.

    Pastor Melody Banda urged women to be bold, firm, and assertive, depending on God’s word to advance their cause. The International Women’s Day commemoration highlighted the progress made and work remaining in advancing women’s rights. The  event was celebrated under the theme: Give to Gain: Advancing Justice, Equality and Empowerment of Women and Girls.

  • North West District Records 448 Diarrhoea Cases

    North West District Records 448 Diarrhoea Cases

    Due to continuous heavy downpours across the country, the North West district is experiencing a spike in waterborne diseases such as diarrhoea and malaria.

    The district has recorded 448 cases of  diarrhoea and one death during the third quarter, of which 80 were with dehydration and 36 with blood in stools. This surge in diarrhoea cases is threatening the lives of children as some areas across the district are now hit by flooding.

    The situation is reported to be worsened by poor hygiene, consuming inappropriate foods and failure to properly managed dehydration. The district also registered 56 cases of malaria and one death of a 76-year old man. Out of the cases three are children aged under five.

    This transpired during a presentation of nutrition surveillance report to the District Disaster Management Committee. Apprising the committee, North West District Council community health nurse, Ms Cindrella Gaebowe revealed that the district experienced diarrhea cases every year especially when the Thamalakane River was flowing.

    Shortage of clean drinking water from homes, she said was also a challenge as water was rationed, noting that lack of parental care especially by youth and teenage mothers exacerbated the situation.

    “They often leave their children’s welfare under the guidance of their grannies due to overwhelming demands while some go to urban areas or entertainment areas,” she added.

    Ms Gaebowe said efforts were made by health educators on prevention measures as well as encouraging mothers to boil water for drinking and to always wash hands before infant feeding. She also highlighted that there was possibility of increased severe underweight and wasting due to food insecurity issues by some families since they could not afford the three meals per day, and that there was no ration in health facilities.

    The report indicated that the annual severe underweight stood at 0.4 per cent in 2023 due to inadequate dietary intake as some families were unable to secure enough food and lack of parental care. Cases of severe underweight were recorded at Thito Clinic with eight cases followed by Kubung with seven, and five in Kareng while Chanoga and Matlapana registered three cases each.

    In 2024 and 2025, the district recorded 0.3 per cent and according to Ms Gaebowe, the annual total underweight prevalence rate remained at 1.7 per cent for those years attributing outbreak of diseases like diarrhea to the high underweight prevalence.

    On other issues, it was reported that 57 suspected cases of rabies had been recorded and one case that resulted in death at Matlapana. There has been an outcry that unvaccinated stray or free-roaming dogs are the main source of rabies in humans.

    In response, officials from the department of Veterinary Services announced that from next week, they would embark on a massive campaign to vaccinate dogs and cats in an effort to reduce the risk of rabies. The department has also taken a decision to kill all unvaccinated dogs roaming the streets as they pose danger to members of the community especially children.

    “Cases of rabies are on the rise because every test we conduct in dogs, the results become positive and one person lost life because of rabies hence we want to intensify vaccination to reduce casualties.Increased wildlife exposure is also causing concern due to some areas proximity to protected areas as some animals fight for leftovers with dogs,” revealed Mr Marang Motlapele from the department of Veterinary Services. 

  • Child Grant Programme Registration Ongoing

    Child Grant Programme Registration Ongoing

    Registration for the Child Grant Programme has commenced in the North East district with more than 186 children already recorded in two weeks. 

    North East District Council (NEDC)’s deputy Council Secretary – Operations, Mr Uyapo Mafunye said in an interview that the plan was to speed up the registration process and ensure that registration was completed by end of March in order to allow the programme to commence in April as intended. 

    Prior to the take-off of registration, Mr Mafunye said the district council had undertaken consultations with the leadership of villages across the district with the view to help raise understanding and appreciation of the programme. 

    Information about roll-out of the programme was disseminated through online platforms, announced during kgotla meetings and at clinics during morning health talks, he explained. 

    Mr Mafunye said the Social and Community Development (S&CD) offices in villages in the district were serving as registration points and added that so far registration was progressing well. 

    Regarding requirements that needed to be met for registering a child, he said the child must be under 12 months of age at the time of registration and be a Motswana. 

    Further, he said a child’s primary caregiver should have stayed in the district for more than six months, a requirement that he explained was intended to avert people registering in more than one district. 

    He said the other requirements included availing a child’s birth certificate as well as the caregiver providing proof that the child was legally under their care. 

    Mr Mafunye said in cases where one of the parents was a foreigner, the child would still be eligible to benefit from the programme. 

    On the possibility of the child grant being used for unintended purposes, he noted that it would be necessary to conduct periodic checks to certify that money was being used for the benefit of the children. 

    “Social workers and other leaders will monitor the condition of children both at home and during monthly clinic visits,” he said, adding that anyone not using the money properly would be liable to legal action under the Children’s Act. 

    On the other hand, he said the district would intensify public education and empower especially the girl child empowerment on the dangers of engaging in sexual activities at a tender age, particularly because of the possibility of teenage pregnancies rising due to young girls wanting to benefit from the programme.

  • Intersex Persons Bank on Constitutional Court for Recognition

    Intersex Persons Bank on Constitutional Court for Recognition

    For people born with variations in sex characteristics, commonly referred to as intersex, life in Botswana is often marked by an everyday fight for recognition, dignity and equality.

    As the nation debates the establishment of a Constitutional Court, the stakes for intersex persons are especially high. For them, this is not just a legal reform discussion, but a matter of validation, protection and the fundamental right to exist without fear of discrimination.

    Meet Kagiso Bannye, 42, whose life reflects the challenges faced by those living between rigid gender classifications. Born with ambiguous sex characteristics, Bannye’s journey has been shaped by early medical interventions, including genital surgery, bureaucratic barriers and persistent social exclusion.

    The genesis of Bannye’s troubles traces back to birth, where he could not ordinarily be identified as a boy or a girl. Bannye is among members of the Rainbow Identity Association, an organisation advocating for the rights and recognition of intersex persons. Their experiences point to a broader systemic problem, one that demands urgent attention.

    “The challenge in Botswana is that when a child is born, they are assigned either male or female. We are saying that we are intersex individuals belonging to neither category; we should be assigned zero or three,” Bannye said.

    This lack of legal recognition often results in confusion and humiliation when accessing basic services at hospitals, police stations and immigration offices. Growing up, Bannye’s birth certificate identified him as female, despite his masculine appearance.

    “Sometimes you are forced to undress to prove who you are,” he said. “In some offices, they even call others to come and look at your nakedness.”

    Bannye believes constitutional reform could offer protection by formally recognising intersex persons and allowing appropriate gender markers. When the then Minister for State President, Mr Kabo Morwaeng, tabled the Constitutional (Amendment) Bill No. 4 of 2024, which sought to prohibit discrimination against intersex persons and people with disabilities, Bannye and others felt hopeful. That hope was short-lived.

    The Bill was rejected after strong opposition, particularly from a coalition of churches. Some Members of Parliament even called for the word ‘intersex’ to be removed from the proposed amendments. Bannye said much of the resistance stems from confusion.

    “People think intersex means same-sex,” he said.

    Thus, Bannye believed clearing the confusion and misunderstanding could somehow tip the scale in their favour hence acceptance. The misunderstanding and confusion are captured by the Centre For Human Rights study on the human rights situation of intersex persons in Africa, which notes that people confuse intersex persons with lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender persons.

    The centre said intersex related to biological sex characteristics, while lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender identities concern sexual orientation and gender identity.

    Although the initial constitutional amendment bill’s rejection left Bannye and the intersex community feeling disenfranchised and vulnerable to discrimination, the currently debated Constitutional Amendment Bill of 2025, tabled last year by Minister for State President, Defence and Security Mr Moeti Mohwasa aimed at establishing a Constitutional Court, could be their hope for inclusivity and asserting their rights.

    He believed the court could become a critical platform for intersex persons to assert their rights.

    “The starting point is legal gender recognition. That would allow intersex people to change their gender marker and live with dignity.”

    Weighing into the debate, an attorney, Mr Mboki Chilisa, Managing Partner at Collins Chilisa Consultants, noted that a Constitutional Court dealt with human rights and constitutional issues, thus promoting constitutionalism, strengthening institutions and democracy, and helping realise aspirations as set up by the Constitution.

    Mr Chilisa further noted that specialised jurists would be better equipped to address complex human-rights cases involving marginalised groups. As consultations on the Constitutional (Amendment) Bill of 2025 continue across the country, intersex persons like Bannye are watching closely, hopeful that this time, the law will finally see them.

    A paediatric surgeon based at Life Gaborone Private Hospital, Dr Kutlo Motlhobogwa, said the condition commonly referred to as intersex was medically known as Disorders of Sexual Differentiation (DSD). He explained that children born with DSD had chromosomes, gonads or genitals that did not fit the typical binary definition of male or female.

    Dr Motlhobogwa noted that DSD was a complex medical condition that required careful attention and affected many children and families across the country.

    “It is important to understand that it is sexual differentiation,” he said, explaining that all humans initially developed similarly in the womb, but biological processes later differentiate them into male or female. 

    However, disruptions in this process can result in intersex conditions. Dr Motlhobogwa, who runs Bana Kerona Pediatric Surgeon, further said many children experienced this condition, adding that it was often easier to manage in girls than in boys.

    He said surgical interventions could help achieve normal appearance and function, while stressing the importance of a multidisciplinary approach involving medical professionals, psychologists, families and society in supporting affected children.

  • Letsatsi le Tlhabetse Bomme ba Sepako

    Letsatsi le Tlhabetse Bomme ba Sepako

    Mokgatlho wa Dingaka tsa Malapa (Botswana Association of Family Physicians) o tlaa etela bomme ba kwa Sepako kgwedi eno e le 20, go ba tlhatlhobela le go tsibosa ka kankere ya molomo wa popelo, gammogo le go thusa ka tsa botsogo ntle le tuelo epe.

    Dr Keneilwe Motlhatlhedi go tswa kwa mokgatlhong oo, o tlhaloseditse BOPA fa kankere ya molomo wa popelo e le nngwe ya dikankere tse di bakang dintsho mo Botswana, selo se a reng se utlusa botlhoko ka gore e ka thibelwa le go alafiwa fa e lemogwa ka nako.

    A re bontsi jwa bomme kwa magaeng ba bona thuso morago ga nako ka ntata ya go tlhaela kitso ka bolwetsi jo, le go tlhoka go etela bongaka go itekodisa le fa motho a sa lwale. O tlhalositse fa bomme ba ba dirang mo lekaleng la booki ba ithophetse go dirisa nako le bokgoni jwa bone go thusa bomme ba Sepako, kwa kgaolong ya Nata, mo kgweding eno ya bomme.

    Dr Motlhatlhedi o supile fa setlhopha sa baithaopi mo thulaganyong e se tlaa goroga kwa Sepako Mopitlo a le lesome le boferabobedi, go rulaganyetsa tiro e. A re bomme ba tlaa tlhatlhobelwa kankere ya molomo wa popelo mahala, go akarediwa le Pap smear. Go tsweng foo, a re ba tlaa romelwa kwa mafelong a mangwe a kalafi go ya ka maduo a bone.

    “Re tlaa ba fa thuto ya tsa boitekanelo, e e tlaa akaretsang tlhathobo ya madi a matona le sukiri mo mading,” Dr Motlhatlhedi a tlhalosa a bo a tlatsa ka gore, bomme ba tlaa fiwa kitso ka go tlhokomela boitekanelo jwa bone.

    Lenaneo la tiro e, le tlaa akaretsa thuto ka phetogo ya loapi le kafa e amang botsogo ka teng. Go ya ka Dr Motlhatlhedi, go gotela ga loapi go baka mathata a mantsi a botsogo mme gape go ama temo-thuo le matshelo a batho ka go farologana. O supile fa lefatshe leno le itemogela mogote o o feteletseng le dipula tse dintsi, diphetogo tse di tsalang malwetsi. A re pula e baka monang, o o anamisang bolwetsi jwa Malaria.

    “Ka jalo go botlhokwa go ruta batho ka ditlamorago tsa go fetoga ya loapi,” Dr Motlhatlhedi a supa.

    O supile fa bomme ba tlaa abelwa dipeo tsa ditlhare gore ba di leme kwa malwapeng a bone, mme gape ba tlaa lema ditlhare kwa sekoleng sa motse, kgotla le kwa kokelwaneng, go thusa go fokotsa ditlamorago tsa phetogo ya loapi. Dr Motlhatlhedi o kopile badiri ba tsa botsogo ba bangwe go dirisana le bone go ruta bomme ka malwetsi a a ba amang le go atolosa ditirelo tsa tlhatlhobo ya molomo wa popelo.

    Go ya ka pego ya bosheng, modulasetilo wa Mokgatlho wa Dingaka tsa Malapa, Dr Claire Brockbank, o kaile fa mokgatlho o itumelela go tshegetsa lenaneo le, le setlhogo sa letsatsi la mafatshefatshe le reng: Give to Gain, se se rotloetsa go abelana le tirisanommogo.

    Dr Brockbank o akgotse Dr Kesegofetse Chabaesele, go simolola lenaneo la go isa ditlamelo tsa booki kwa setshabeng, le go tsamaya le setlhopha sa dingaka le baoki ba ba nang le maikaelelo a a tshwanang go ya go abelana nako le kitso ya bone le kwa magaeng.

    Dr Brockbank a re o lemogile gore fa e sa le ka 2015, lefatshe leno le simolodisitse go neela basetsana ba dikole mokento wa Human Papillomavirus (HPV), a re kgato e, e dirwa go fokotsa kankere ya molomo wa popelo mo dikokomaneng tse di tlang.

    O kgothaditse bomme ba dingwaga tse di masome mabedi le botlhano le go feta, go nna ba itlhatlhobela kankere ya molomo wa popelo, ka e le tsela e e ka thusang go lemoga diphetogo tsa ntlha tsa kankere le go thibela dintsho tse di bakwang ke bolwetsi.

    A re lenaneo la go lema ditlhare ke go tokafatsa matshelo a bone mo tikologong e ba tshelelang mo go yone pele ga bokopano jwa World Organisation of Family Doctors (WONCA) Africa 2026, jo bo tlaa tshwarelwang mono Gaborone ka Lwetse. O laleditse mekgatlho ka go farologana go thusa go tokafatsa botsogo jwa bomme le go boloka matshelo a batho. 

  • Mapodisi a Boloditse Letsholo la Ipabalelo Tseleng

    Mapodisi a Boloditse Letsholo la Ipabalelo Tseleng

    Lekalana la pharakano la sepodise sa Tsabong le simolodisitse letsholo la ipabalelo tseleng ka go tsamaya le dikereke le gasa molaetsa wa go re dikereke di ipaakanye go sale nako, pele di tsaya mesepele e metelele.

    Mo potsolosong, mookamela mapodisi a pharakano mo kgaolong ya Kgalagadi, Superintendent Ruben Ramoleele a re ba simolotse letsholo la go gakolola diphuthego tsa dikereke ka go farologana ka bomosola jwa go ipabalela mo tseleng le go tlhomamisa gore malwapa le dithoto tsa bone di sala di sireletsegile.

    Supt Ramoleele a re ba itemogetse botlhokwa jwa go buisana le baeteledipele ba dikereke go baakanyetsa mesepele ka nako le go tlhomamisa gore ba tsamaya ka dikoloi tse di itekanetseng e bile di kgweetswa ke bakgweetsi ba ba nang le diteseletso tsa go kgweetsa setshaba go fokotsa dikotsi tsa tsela.

    A re go botlhokwa go obamela matshwao le melawana ya tsela, go tlotla badirisi ba bangwe ba tsela le go pega merwalo e lekanetseng. Moruti Alice Masanako wa kereke ya Eloyi a re boeteledipele jwa dikereke bo lebogela dikgakololo tsa sepodisi.

    Moruti Masanako a re mapodisi ba itlamile go tshwaragana le setshaba go fokotsa dikotsi tse di gapang matshelo a batho ka malatsi a Paseka.

  • Mogokgo o Tshwenngwa ke Tshenyo ya Didirisiwa mo Sekoleng

    Mogokgo o Tshwenngwa ke Tshenyo ya Didirisiwa mo Sekoleng

    Mogokgo wa sekole se segolwane sa Lotsane kwa Palapye, Rre Watson Basoli a re o tshwenngwa ke tshenyo ya didirisiwa tsa sekole e e dirwang ke baithuti.

    O ne a ntsha matshwenyego a ka Mosupologo mo bokopanong jwa komiti ya batsadi le barutabana jo maikaelelo a jone e neng e le go tsibosa batsadi ba baithuti ba ba simololang lekwalo la bone ka tsamaiso ya sekole.

    Rre Basoli a re e ne ya re mo ngwageng o o fetileng, sekole sa Lotsane sa amogela ditilo tsa baithuti di le makgolo a mane, mme yare mo nakong e khutshwane sephatlo sa ditilo tseo sa bo se setse se sentswe ke baithuti ka go sa di diriseng sentle.

    Ka jalo, Rre Basoli a re se se a tshwenya ka sekole se dira ka bojotlhe go tsibosa baithuti le go ba ruta gore ba tshware didirisiwa tsa sekole jang mme go supagala fa seemo seo se sa fetoge ka baithuti bangwe ba tsweletse ka tshenyo e. 

    Ka jalo o kopile batsadi go thusanya le sekole go kgalema bana go tswa kwa malwapeng.Rre Basoli o tsweletse a supa fa go na le baithuti bangwe ba ba utswelang ba bangwe mo sekoleng mme bangwe ba utswa dibeke tse ba tsenyang dibuka mo teng ga mmogo le tsone dibuka.

    Mogoko a re e le sekole, ba itemogetse fa go na le dintwa tsa ditlhopha tsa baithuti, mme go supagala di simologile kwa dikoleng tse ba neng ba dira lokwalo la borato teng.  A re sekole se tla a dira ka bojotlhe go sireletsa baithuti ba bangwe mo go ba ba dirang jalo ka go ba tseela dikgato tse di maleba. 

    O kopile batsadi go ela tlhoko mo bana ba tsenyang dibuka teng fa ba tsena kwa malwapeng ka go nna ba leba gore ba tsentse eng mo go tsone ka bangwe ba tsenya dingwe tse di borai. O tsweletse a supa fa moithuti a sa tshwanela go tla ka dilo tse di bogale mo sekoleng di tshwana le dithipa, mme fa a ka fitlhelwa ka tsone, o tla a tseelwa dikgato mme a felele a seegetswe fa thoko ka wa bo a le borai. 

    A re ga go na fa baithuti ba dirisang thipa teng mo dithutong tsa bone e bile ga go na lebaka la gore moithuti a tsamae ka yone. O kopile batsadi go tsenya bana ba bone mo tseleng, a re go dira jalo, go ka nolofatsa tiro ya barutabana. 

    A re batsadi ga ba a tshwanela go palelwa ke bana kana go laolwa ke bana. O lemotshitse batsadi gore go dira sentle ga moithuti go tsamaelana thata le boitshwaro jwa gagwe, a supa fa boitsholo jo bo siameng jwa ngwana bo mo fa sebaka sa go reetsa.

    Rre Basoli a re ntswa sekole sa Lotsane se ageletswe ka terata, ba itemogetse gore go nale bangwe batho ba ba phunyang terata eo, gore ba ralale sekole. A re fa dikole ditswalwa ngwaga e e fetileng, ba ne ba dira maiteko a go tswala diphatlha tseo, mme ya re mo letsatsing le le latelang ba fitlhela terata eo e phuntswe gape.

    A re se se supa fa batsadi bangwe mo motseng e le bone ba butseng diphatlha tseo maikaelelo e le go ralala sekole ka di ne di thibilwe baithuti ba seyo.  Rre Basoli a re mokgwa o ga o a siama ka sekole se leka go laola metsamao ya baithuti mme bangwe mo motseng ba kgoreletsa maiteko a, a ba a kopa gore ba ba dirang jalo ba emise ka ponyo ya leitlho.

    O ile a supa gore fa moithuti mongwe a ka dirisa diphatlha tseo go tsena mo sekoleng, motsadi o tla a bitswa mme e nne ene a tla a ntshang madi a go baakanya terata ka moithuti yoo e tlaabo e le ene a tshwerwe a tsena ka yone. 

    A re go na le dikgoro mo sekoleng mme go rotloediwa baithuti go di dirisa. Mo go tse dingwe Rre Basoli o ne a re sekole se itlamile gore se tla a tswelela se ntsha maduo a a kwa godimo ka boineelo, mme ntleng ya tshwaragano ya bone le batsadi, sekole se ka seka sa kgona.

  • Prisons Anticipate Bumper Harvest

    Prisons Anticipate Bumper Harvest

    Botswana Prisons Service (BPS) anticipates a bumper harvest of over 20 tonnes of maize in 2026, Prisons Commissioner Anthony Mokento has said.

    Speaking during the signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding with Seed Co Botswana in Gaborone on Wednesday, Mr Mokento said they planted Seed Co Botswana seeds on 106 hectares of land, of which 97 hectares were under maize production, two hectares of sorghum was planted in Lethakane, while cowpeas were cultivated on seven hectares.

    “From this total area planted, we hope to harvest handsomely. We may not produce enough, but it will be sufficient to make a significant reduction in government expenditure on the maintenance of inmates,” he said.

    Last year, he said prisons service harvested 20 tonnes of maize in 2025, equivalent to about 400 bags.

    For his part, Seed Co Botswana managing director, Samson Ruwisi said agriculture was a powerful tool for transformation and an effective way of empowering inmates through modern farming techniques and productive agricultural practices.

    “Inmates will gain skills that can help them reintegrate into society and contribute positively to their communities,” he said.

    He said one of the most meaningful ways to contribute to communities was by transferring knowledge and practical skills that empower people.

    “Through this partnership, we are proud to support the correctional services mission by equipping inmates with valuable life skills, including agriculture,” he said.

    He said Seed Co. believed its role went beyond providing quality seeds in the 22 African countries where it operated. Mr Ruwisi said their mandate also extended to corporate social responsibility and rehabilitation efforts aligned with the objectives of the prisons service.

    He further noted that the Seed Co Seed App, launched in Botswana in 2025, used technology to enhance best farming practices and assisted in imparting agricultural knowledge to farmers across the country. 

  • Charity Festival to Aid Pudulogong Rehabilitation Centre

    Charity Festival to Aid Pudulogong Rehabilitation Centre

    The Association of Schools Performing Arts (ABOSPA), in partnership with the University of Botswana (UB), will tomorrow host the Performing Arts Charity Festival 2026 in aid to the Pudulogong Rehabilitation Centre for the Blind in Mochudi.

    The event will take place at the UB Indoor Sports Centre in Gaborone. ABOSPA president, Gobuamang Bakwena, said the Pudulogong Live Band would share the stage with last year’s ABOSPA champions. The festival will also feature a wide range of performances, including UB’s live band, drama, chorale, poetry, and traditional song and dance.

    “Other groups include Gaborone University College (drama and live band), Regent International School (marimba band, poetry, and back track), Ngami Junior Secondary School (traditional song and dance), Botswana Accountancy College from Francistown (chorale and drama), Mogoditshane Senior Secondary School (chorale), and Kgatleng Brigade’s poetry team, among many others,” announced Bakwena.

    The guest speaker will be Prophet Joel Keitumele, popularly known as Ntsoro. Bakwena stated that proceeds from the festival would go toward purchasing new instruments for the Pudulogong Live Band.

    “Instruments such as drum sets need to be replaced or repaired. Our goal is to refurbish their equipment so they can continue to dazzle audiences and earn a living through music, as they once did,” he said.

    The Pudulogong Live Band has a rich legacy, having nurtured celebrated local artistes such as the late Donald ‘Don B’ Botshelo (of Bananyana ba Serowe and Bana ba di Dotcom fame), Annah Fike, Ey Brizzy (renowned for the hit Elizabeth), and Lentswe La Botlhokwa Pono, among others.

    “As associations of arts, we found it fitting to extend a helping hand to Pudulogong Rehabilitation Centre. We hope to sustain the band’s legacy and inspire new generations of blind students to follow in the footsteps of these legends,” Bakwena added.

    He appealed to citizens and well-wishers to support the initiative, noting that tickets were still available.

  • Motswana Songwriter Reaches for Stars

    Motswana Songwriter Reaches for Stars

    After successfully landing songwriting credits with a K-Pop boy band, idntt, on their chart-topping album, yesw8are, which surpassed 430 000 sales within a week of its release, Motswana creative Kago Mokubung, better known as Keigo Wav, is now opening up about the process behind the breakthrough.

    For many aspiring songwriters, the dream of writing for international artistes can feel distant. However, Wav is proving that with the right strategy, discipline, and global outlook, the gap can be bridged, even from thousands of kilometres away.

    In an interview, the 29-year-old Pilikwe-born songwriter shared that his journey with idntt, an upcoming 24-member K-pop boy group formed by Modhaus Entertainment, began during a virtual songwriting camp, where songwriters, producers, and artistes from different places worked together online to create songs.

    Mokubung shared that Modhaus CEO, Jaden Jeong, spotted him then and thereafter asked him to compose a song for idntt as part of the group’s five-track album, which got released in January.

    “I wrote the song and titled it Yes We Are, and it went on to be picked as the group’s official anthem and also made the album title,” said Wav, describing the experience as humbling.

    Mokubung explained that his journey dates back to the COVID-19 era, when he learnt to take full advantage of digital platforms to advance his craft. His passion lies in pop music and reaching the Asian market. Although he has already written songs for local artistes such as Thato Jessica, Love in September and others, Wav admitted that his pop sound had not always resonated with fellow music producers or artistes locally.

    “But I felt so sure about what I was doing that I did not give up, despite some discouraging comments,” he said.

    He also noted that the breakthrough was not sheer luck but success built on patience, networking, and mastering the art of songwriting. Armed with a degree in Sound Engineering from Limkokwing University of Creative Technology Botswana, he has invested in honing his skills academically and by producing songs for local radio Dj’s and artistes alike.

    He would thereafter cross borders digitally to work with Universal Music Thailand/Briq Entertainment, composing a debut single for their artiste, D-NA, titled BYE BYE.  The budding artiste has also collaborated with many international publishers from Korea, such as Solcire Publishing, StupidSquad Publishing, and others from Europe, including DWB/ARC, LineOut from Sweden, and more.

    “The industry thrives on collaboration, so the work is intense, but it is also good for making friendships and networking,” said Keigo Wav adding that in the future, a lot more should be expected from his international collaborations.

    He was optimistic that he would one day write for internationally acclaimed boy bands such as BTS. Breaking into the global K-Pop industry is no small feat, even for seasoned songwriters; thus, Keigo Wav underscores that aspiring local artistes who wish to access the global market need to aim for creative works that are undeniably competitive and unique.

    His track with idntt, which blends sounds ranging from hip hop and Afrobeat to even punk rock, even though they are a pop group, is a good point of reference.

    “Talent exists here in Botswana; however, to make it, artists need to work hard, sacrifice, take ownership of their work, and leverage digital spaces,” he said.