03 Feb 2026

A specialised commercial court aimed at speeding up the resolution of commercial disputes and supporting Botswana’s ease of doing business agenda is set to be launched in March.

Announcing the development during the opening of the 2026 Legal Year in Gaborone on Monday, Chief Justice Gaolapelwe Ketlogetswe said the move was part of broader judicial reforms meant to modernise justice delivery.

“The envisaged commercial court will deal exclusively with commercial matters and is intended to facilitate the ease of doing business in Botswana,” said Justice Ketlogetswe.

He said the judiciary recorded significant institutional reforms in 2025 as it pursued its goal of becoming a world-class judicial system by 2036.

“Our focus remains on improving efficiency, strengthening accountability and bringing justice closer to the people,” he said.

Justice Ketlogetswe said key achievements of 2025 included the appointment of five new judges to the Court of Appeal, bringing the bench to its full complement of 12 justices.

“The High Court has also reached its full complement of 30 judges, a development we expect will improve case management and reduce backlogs,” he said.

On gender representation, the Chief Justice said the judiciary had deliberately increased the number of women judges, with four of the eight newly appointed High Court judges being women.

“This is a trend that will continue across all courts,” he said.

On the establishment of specialised courts, Justice Ketlogetswe said the judiciary recognised the urgent need to establish a constitutional court, noting that specialisation enhanced efficiency and the timely delivery of justice.

“Specialised courts strengthen the quality of judicial decisions and enable the courts to respond effectively to the changing needs of society,” he said.

Meanwhile, newly appointed Attorney General Dick Bayford, in his first address in office, said government was moving to repeal laws that had been declared unconstitutional by the country’s highest court.

“There is a need to improve access to laws so that the majority of Batswana can understand them,” said Bayford.

He added that the state should approach litigation with restraint and fairness.

“The state does not always have to pursue every technical advantage or take advantage of every procedural flaw. It must litigate with moderation, candour and proportionality,” he said. ENDS