BDF Pension Bill Balloons to P4 Billion

Article By: Diana Motsu

A staggering P4 billion is now needed to settle pensions for former Botswana Defence Force personnel, more than double the original estimate of P1.5 billion.

This was revealed during a session of the Public Accounts Committee, where Accounting Officer Mokuedi Sianang told the committee that only 30 percent of the nearly 10,000 former soldiers have been paid so far.

Sianang explained that the initial P1.2 billion allocated has already been spent, leaving a significant funding gap and no money left to pay the remaining ex-soldiers.