12 Oct 2026

The Botswana Police Service (BPS) is set to strengthen the availability and maintenance of its vehicle fleet through a new partnership with the Ministry of Higher Education. 

The initiative will also provide Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) students with practical and industry-relevant experience.

The partnership was formalised last Thursday in Gaborone through a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signed between the BPS, which falls under the Ministry for State President, Defence and Security and the Ministry of Higher Education.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Minister for State President, Defence and Security, Mr Moeti Mohwasa, said the agreement demonstrated government’s commitment to finding practical solutions to challenges facing public institutions through collaboration and resource sharing.

Mr Mohwasa noted that the partnership would enable government to make better use of existing facilities, technical expertise and resources as well as address challenges affecting police vehicle availability. 

He stated that he was happy that the MoA represented a practical approach to improving public services while developing young people’s skills.

“The Ministry of Higher Education has facilities, equipment, technical expertise and students requiring professional exposure, while BPS has vehicles requiring maintenance and servicing. By servicing those together, we can address an operational challenge and create a meaningful learning opportunity,” he said.

He added that students would gain hands-on experience by working on real vehicles within appropriate standards and prepare them for the world of work.

He highlighted that the partnership came at a crucial time when the country was confronting a difficult economic environment, hence the need for careful management of public funds.

“Fiscal prudence should not simply mean spending less, but should also involve finding better ways of using existing resources and getting value from every public expense,” he added.

Furthermore, he emphasised that government institutions must constantly evaluate whether available facilities and expertise can be used more effectively. 

He noted that the initiative aligned with other ongoing government interventions to improve efficiency, including a 12-month vehicle leasing pilot project introduced earlier this year to test alternative methods for ensuring reliable police transport based on evidence.

Minister of Higher Education, Mr Prince Maele, described the deal as the first inter-ministerial MoA, which was a shift from working in isolation towards collaboration, shared purpose and collective responsibility. Mr Maele added that the agreement formed part of the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme (BETP) and arrived at a time when resources were constrained and citizen expectations were rising. 

He noted that BPS continued to face significant resource constraints with its vehicle fleet, compounded by servicing and maintenance difficulties. Under the new arrangement, technically competent police officers will work alongside TVET students and lecturers to share expertise and transfer knowledge as students acquired practical skills. He emphasised that the partnership would not only maintain vehicles, but would also build skills, confidence and human capital, while contributing to the revitalisation of TVET workshops. As a successful example, he said the Kweneng Rural Development Association (KRDA) in Molepolole, serviced approximately 64 Central Transport Organisation (CTO) vehicles free of charge last year.  He added that since April this year, KRDA had also serviced vehicles for Scottish Livingstone Hospital, Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP), Molepolole College of Education (MCE), Department of Veterinary Services, BPS and the Department of Technical and Vocational Education and Training.

Meanwhile, the initiative would initially be piloted through the Botswana College of Engineering and Technology, Madirelo Training Centre, Kang Brigade Centre, KRDA, Palapye Technical College and Maun Technical College, with plans to expand to institutions across the country.  Additionally, Minister Maele noted that the partnership would offer police officers access to specialised training, research opportunities and advanced technical skills to respond to increasingly sophisticated policing challenges. BPS Commissioner, Ms Dinah Marathe said the agreement extended beyond workshops and vehicles, describing it as a partnership centered on capability, efficiency and public service. “Transport is a key resource required by BPS to provide effective and efficient services and the initiative supports our Corporate Development Strategy V commitment to becoming a modern, proactive and innovative law enforcement agency,” Ms Marathe said. She indicated that the signing was only the beginning, emphasising that the true value of the MoA lied in its execution. 

“The measure of today’s success will not be the signatures we have witnessed, but the results those signatures produce,” she added. Ms Marathe emphasised that the ultimate beneficiary must be the citizen, particularly the Motswana who expected a police vehicle to arrive promptly when assistance was needed. ENDS