Independence buys freedom

Khama allegedly moved millions of dollars from Central Bank, court documents

Kago Komane and Joel Konopo

Papers filed in the Botswana High Court make the startling allegation that former Botswana president Ian Khama instructed the country’s central bank to shift over $200-million (P2.2-billion) to secret accounts and later moved the funds to several offshore companies and banks.


Favorite Tools for Investigative Reporters

What tools do investigative journalists use in the course of their work? In this series, we ask journalists from around the world to share some of their favorites with GIJN’s readers.


Botswana Unravels: Unmasking Africa’s democracy poster child

It seemed too good to be true. A diamond-rich, corruption-free, democratic, prosperous, and peaceful African country with a tradition of peaceful transfer of presidential power (the incumbent president voluntarily leaves office a year before the next general election). It was.


BDF kills two rhino poachers

Two suspected poachers were shot and killed by Botswana Defence Force (BDF) on Sunday while tracking a rhino they had shot in Moremi Game Reserve, confirming the country’s tough anti-poaching policy.


Turmoil in Africa’s ‘model democracy’

Everywhere you look, there is back-stabbing, defections, grandstanding and chaos. Joel Konopo looks at the disjointed state of politics in Botswana as the election nears.


#MauritiusLeaks: Botswana in tax avoidance scandal

A Mauritius-based shell company existing only on paper – with no employees, office or business activity – received a substantial amount of money as payment from the government of Botswana. But how did the government pay a shell company millions of pula in what appears to be a classic case of tax avoidance?


African gay bashing ‘a colonial import’

Some decry Botswana’s enlightened High Court judgement on gay sex. But studies show that homosexuality existed – and was tolerated – across pre-colonial Africa.


Life lessons from a year at Stanford

How being a JSK Journalism Fellow inspired personal and professional change


Botswana’s INK Centre to launch mobile and video first news platform

INK24 to translate and breakdown centre’s long-form stories into digestible chunks that could be understood by grassroots communities


Using Artificial Intelligence to hold power to account

Technology can help illuminate dark corners of political funding in Africa