20 Aug 2026

The Minister for State President, Defence and Security, Mr Moeti Mohwasa says government has disbursed P2.7 billion for Botswana Defence Force (BDF) pension pay out since 2024. 

Making a statement in Parliament on Wednesday, he said the BDF Pensions matter related to historical pension arrangements for members of the BDF pre-dating the Botswana Pension Officers’ Pension Fund (BPOPF) established in 2001, Mr Mohwasa said in 2017, a government-commissioned actuarial analysis revealed that the defined contribution scheme unfairly impacted BDF personnel due to the early retirement mandates affecting their replacement ratios. 

He said in March 2024, government decided to enhance transfer values for BDF members who served before April 2001, resulting in the issuance of Statutory Instruments 52 and 53 to amend related pension regulations.

 Mr Mohwasa said 5 767 separated members and beneficiaries of deceased members registered and provided the requisite information across the country. 

He said the collected data was deposited with the Accountant General for verification. 

“The verification, among other things, entailed confirmation of the date an individual joined the fund and the salary applicable on the date they joined the fund,” said Mr Mohwasa.

Additionally, Mr Mohwasa said that information was verified and shared with BPOPF and the National Medical Group (NMG) for actuarial calculations based on the adjusted denominator. 

He  said government aimed to complete payments to living BDF veteran members by end of September and finalised payments to deceased veterans’ beneficiaries by year-end.  As of August 2026, he said,  NMG reported that 79 per cent of eligible military veterans had received payment, primarily covering retirements and death claims. 

Notably, Mr Mohwasa said a group of ‘forgotten soldiers’ retirees faced difficulties owing to lack of record from their transfer to the BPOPF.

 He said requests have been made for adjustments and recalculation of their benefits in light of administrative omissions. 

The minister also said some veterans have expressed concerns regarding mandatory annuity purchases due to their age, with 182 members already having to comply. Therefore, Mr Mohwasa appealed for patience as government worked through the legal and administrative processes required to reach a durable resolution.

 He said the complexities surrounding the transfer of BDF members to the BPOPF presented a challenge that required thorough assessment, data-driven decisions, due diligence and the avoidance of emotive pronouncements. 

The minister noted that government remained committed not only to resolving the legacy administrative errors underlying this matter, but also to securing a long-term solution for BDF pensions, adding that the resolve would be reflected in the BDF Act Amendment Bill. ENDS