President Mokgweetsi Masisi has expressed deep concern over the alarming prevalence of gender-based violence in Botswana, where women and girls are being killed by those they trust for love and protection.

While delivering the keynote address at the 2023/2024 Botswana Police graduation ceremony at Otse Police College for 1 000 officers, President Masisi condemned the recent killings of innocent children in Matsiloje, Maun, and Francistown. He vowed that his government, through the Botswana Police Service, will take all necessary measures to eradicate this horrific crime.

Earlier this week, a man from Ramotswa, currently residing in Newstance, was arrested in Tati Siding on charges of attempting to murder his girlfriend and children.

According to eyewitnesses, the fight began between the cohabiting couple. The man became so furious that he threatened to kill his girlfriend and her children. Fortunately, villagers intervened and called the police, preventing a tragedy.

In a recent incident, a 40-year-old man, Boikanyo Teddy France, killed his three children and attempted to kill their mother. After fleeing the scene, France was apprehended by the police following a manhunt.

This tragedy follows another incident, where a 35-year-old man, Unangoni Selathi, was arrested for the brutal murder of his two young children, aged three and 11 months, in Monarch.

Earlier this year in Kanye village, a man allegedly poisoned two women and then committed suicide. Rumour has it that the women owed him money and did not specify when they would repay the debt. In a separate incident in the Diabo settlement of Kanye, another man slit a woman's throat before taking his own life.

Statistics from the Botswana Police Service indicate that between 2003 and 2012, 747 people were murdered by individuals who claimed to love them. Of these victims, 689 were women, while 57 were men. In 2022, out of the 349 murder cases registered by the Botswana Police Service between January 1st and March 31st, 164 victims were women. The most commonly used weapons in these incidents were sharp instruments, particularly knives, followed by firearms and hard objects. However, there was a decrease in the number of such violent crimes in 2023 compared to 2022.

President Masisi revealed that the Botswana Police have partnered with UNICEF to address crimes and violence against children, as well as issues of gender-based violence (GBV).

He emphasised that crimes such as murder, robbery, and rape are top priorities for the government. He commended the Botswana Police for their aggressive efforts to combat stock theft and urged them to continue working diligently to protect the communities.