Association
CSOs call for meaningful participation in Botswana’s Constitutional Amendment Process
On 4th July 2025, the government gazetted the Constitutional (Amendment) Bill No. 14 of 2025. The Bill proposes the creation of a Constitutional Court with exclusive authority over constitutional matters, including rights and freedoms, parliamentary membership, election petitions and the validity of laws. Currently, the Court of Appeal serves as the final authority on all issues, but under the Bill it would remain final only for non-constitutional cases.
While the Bill could significantly transform Botswana’s constitutional framework, its review process has drawn criticism. Earlier proposals under the Constitutional Amendment Bill of 2024, which emerged from the review process initiated by President Dr. Mokgweetsi Erick Keabetswe Masisi who in 2021 appointed a Commission of Inquiry to review Botswana’s 1966 Constitution, contained provisions that threatened institutional independence, including granting the President greater control over appointments to Parliament and the Electoral Commission. CSOs argued that the constitution review process has been marred by lack of civic education, transparency and inclusivity, limiting citizens’ ability to participate meaningfully. These provisions triggered nationwide protests, as previously documented, where demonstrators denounced the reforms as an attempt to centralise power and weaken democratic institutions. In response, Parliament rejected the Constitutional (Amendment) Bill of 2024 during its third reading after the ruling party failed to secure the required majority for its passage.
However, the Constitutional Amendment Bill of 2025 was gazetted without adequate consultation and only allowed 30 days for public response. CSOs led by the Botswana Council of Non-Governmental Organisations (BOCONGO), rejected the Bill in its entirety, calling for its withdrawal. They also urged amendments to Sections 87 and 89 of the Constitution and the development of a transparent roadmap outlining how the reform would be conducted. CSOs demanded a participatory, people-led process through a Constitutional Review Act, emphasising that only an inclusive framework that protects socio-economic rights and ensures the participation of all groups can produce a legitimate and democratic Constitution.
Peaceful Assembly
Police systematically intimidate students to prevent protests
On 8th August 2025, students struggled to secure a police permit to stage a protest and deliver a petition to the Ministry of Higher Education demanding the students’ monthly allowance be raised from BWP1,900 (USD 139) to BWP2,500 (USD 185) in line with an electoral promise that had been made by the current government during its electoral campaigns. Their attempt was blocked after police cited a scheduling conflict with a “national event” requiring the deployment of many police officers, advising the students to choose an alternative date. Another attempt by students to deliver their petition on 15th August 2025 also failed due to bureaucratic hurdles. Despite assurances from the Ministry of Higher Education and the Botswana Police Service, students faced repeated delays and shifting responses, prompting student leader Eric Karabelo to warn that officials were “playing PR games” and attempting to intimidate perceived student leaders through potential suspensions and academic penalties. Karabelo accused authorities of systematically intimidating protesters to silence dissent.
At the DDT College of Medicine, student leaders were summoned by police following a demonstration over the institution’s unclear accreditation, which students condemned as harassment. On 13th August 2025, student leaders, including the Student Representative Council president, were again summoned over a baseless complaint alleging an illegal school closure. Karabelo also reported intimidation by intelligence officers and ruling party activists, noting that his family feared for their safety.