Retired soldiers in the dark as government announces P500 million pension fund

A re Itshekeng, a group of retired Botswana Defence Force (BDF) members who took government to court over pension-related grievances, says it has not received any official communication regarding the newly-announced P500 million pension fund.The group claims it only learned of the development through a press release, despite being directly affected by the issue.According to the Ministry for State President, the government has secured P500 million to pay BDF retirees affected by the pension denominator adjustment.The funds are expected to be disbursed before the end of July 2025, with retirees prioritised. However, members of A re Itshekeng remain sceptical, suspecting the money is not new funding, but part of last year’s P1 billion allocation.The group also pointed out that the last batch of payments was made in December 2024.A report submitted to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in May 2025 revealed that the total amount now required to settle the remaining pension claims has surged to P4 billion far beyond the original P1.5 billion that was projectedAccording to the group, despite recent government efforts, morale remains low among veterans. Many are battling chronic illnesses, struggling with debt, and facing property repossession due tofinancial hardship.In July 2024, former President Mokgweetsi Masisi announced a P1.5 billion compensation package for over 10,000 BDF veterans and their dependents.Over 9,300 eligible retirees were registered, and 321 began receiving pay-outs through the Botswana Public Officers’ Pension Fund (BPOPF) by August 2024.Concerns over veterans’ health continue to grow. Many former soldiers say their service-related injuries were never properly assessed or compensated.In response, the BDF launched a limited health claims programme in 2024 for soldiers who retired between 2016 and 2020 an effort critics say does not go far enough.Efforts to institutionalise veteran support have begun, including the formation of a Military Veterans Unit under the Ministry of Defence and Security.The Military Veterans of Botswana (MVOB), a non-profit led by ex-soldiers, is also active in offering legal aid and health referrals. But for many veterans, support remains slow and insufficient.

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Retired soldiers in the dark as government announces P500 million pension fund