The Botswana government has taken steps to address pension anomalies affecting a group of retired Botswana Defence Force (BDF) soldiers. Minister for State President, Defence and Security, Moeti Mohwasa, has directed the Botswana Public Officers Pension Fund (BPOPF) to locate missing records of retired soldiers whose transfer values vanished during a transition to the BPOPF. This move aims to correct an anomaly that has left the retirees, who call themselves "The Forgotten Soldiers," without benefits.
According to Mohwasa, the BPOPF has committed to completing the exercise by the end of August 2026. The issue began when the retirees were transferred from the old defined benefit scheme to the BPOPF without their consent. As a result, no record of their transfer values was found, leaving them without the improved pension salaries they would have received under the old scheme or the transfer value enhancement enjoyed by those under the BPOPF.
Mohwasa acknowledged that there is no proof of transfer consent for these individuals, nor are there any calculations of transfer values produced by those responsible or the Fund Administrators of the time. The minister stated that it would be unjust to disadvantage these individuals due to administrative errors. The "Forgotten Soldiers" had expressed concerns about their situation, prompting the government to take action.
Another issue affecting some veterans is the requirement to purchase an annuity with a portion of their benefits. As of now, 182 members have had to purchase an annuity, as their benefits exceeded the allowable threshold to encash the remaining 50%. In contrast, 56 members declined to opt for annuity purchase, requesting instead to be paid their full benefits due to their advanced age and pressing needs.
The request to exempt these members from purchasing an annuity was first submitted to the Ministry of Finance, but the law as it currently stands does not provide for such an exemption. Mohwasa has been engaging with the BPOPF and other stakeholders to explore a legally sound route to exemption for members already beyond retirement age. A meeting was convened on August 4, 2026, to discuss this matter.
The stakeholder meeting on August 15, 2026, confirmed that the law as it currently stands does not provide for an exemption. However, the minister has tasked all parties concerned to obtain legal opinions on this matter. The feedback from the meeting indicates that annuity purchases are dictated by the secondary legislation (regulations) of the Retirement Fund Act, 2022, under the Ministry of Finance.
Ministry legal experts have been directed to engage with the Attorney General to explore options around this unique state of affairs. The government's efforts aim to find a solution to the pension anomalies affecting the retired BDF soldiers. The minister's actions demonstrate a commitment to addressing the concerns of the "Forgotten Soldiers" and finding a fair resolution to their situation.
Key points
- The Botswana government has directed the BPOPF to rectify pension issues for retired BDF soldiers whose transfer values vanished during a transition to the BPOPF.
- The retirees, who call themselves "The Forgotten Soldiers," were transferred from the old defined benefit scheme to the BPOPF without their consent, resulting in lost benefits.
- The government is also exploring options to exempt some veterans from purchasing an annuity with a portion of their benefits, as required by law.
