The kgotla has shaped Botswana’s democratic culture for generations. But as younger Batswana increasingly debate politics and mobilise through WhatsApp, Facebook, X and TikTok, a new challenge is emerging: can traditional consultation remain meaningful in a political culture moving at digital speed?
Depression, suicidal thoughts and psychological distress are affecting significant numbers of young Batswana, while the country has only a tiny specialist mental-health workforce. The crisis is growing, but the infrastructure required to diagnose, treat and even properly measure it remains severely limited.
Botswana’s Okavango Delta attracts some of the world’s highest-paying safari travellers and supports a celebrated low-volume, high-value tourism model. But as tourism becomes increasingly important to the economy, a harder question emerges: how much of that extraordinary value actually reaches Batswana and surrounding communities?