Morupule Coal Mine hosted Minister of Minerals and Energy Bogolo Joy Kenewendo on Thursday, 27 August 2026, for a Ministerial Visit focused on the Citizen Economic Empowerment Programme and the mine’s citizen business partners. Held under the theme “Motswana Oa Kgona”, the visit provided an opportunity to assess how citizen-owned businesses are participating in the mine’s supply and value chains. It also highlighted the structured support being provided to local enterprises to help them improve their capabilities and expand beyond traditional mining contracts. The engagement comes as Botswana continues to promote citizen participation in economic activity and strengthen local ownership across key industries. For Morupule Coal Mine, the programme represents an effort to turn national economic empowerment priorities into practical opportunities for Batswana.
The visit also followed Minister Kenewendo’s previous engagement with Morupule Coal Mine in April 2025, when she challenged the operation to demonstrate tangible progress through its Citizen Economic Empowerment Programme. At the time, the focus was on ensuring that the programme produced measurable results in employment, skills development and enterprise growth. The latest visit provided an opportunity to showcase progress made since that engagement and demonstrate how citizen businesses are being integrated into the mine’s operations. Rather than limiting local participation to conventional procurement opportunities, Morupule Coal Mine is working to bring citizen-owned enterprises into its core supply and value chains. This approach creates opportunities for businesses to develop stronger capabilities while contributing to the wider objectives of economic diversification and industrialisation.
Morupule Coal Mine Chief Executive Officer Edwin Elias said developing a strong base of citizen suppliers benefits both local businesses and the mining operation itself. He explained that a resilient network of citizen suppliers can strengthen the mine while translating national policy into meaningful and sustainable opportunities for Batswana. The approach recognises that local businesses need more than contracts to become competitive and financially sustainable. They also require access to knowledge, mentorship, industry standards and markets that can help them build their capabilities over time. By supporting suppliers beyond individual contracts, the programme aims to create businesses that can continue operating and growing even when their relationship with the mine changes.
The Citizen Economic Empowerment Programme goes beyond the traditional procurement model by providing participating businesses with a broader range of development support. According to Elias, enterprises receive assistance in areas such as capacity building, mentorship, export readiness, intellectual property, industry standards and market access. These areas can be important for businesses seeking to move from small local operations into larger and more competitive enterprises. Understanding intellectual property can help companies protect their innovations, while compliance with industry standards can improve their ability to secure contracts with larger organisations. Export readiness and market access can also help citizen-owned businesses identify opportunities outside Botswana and reduce their dependence on a single customer or industry.
Elias emphasised that the long-term objective is to help local companies grow beyond traditional mine contracts and compete in regional and international markets. This ambition is significant because sustainable citizen economic empowerment requires businesses to develop independent sources of revenue and competitive capabilities. A company that relies exclusively on one large client can face serious risks if demand changes or a contract ends. Supporting businesses to develop products, services and systems that meet wider market requirements can therefore improve their resilience. The programme has the potential to help participating enterprises move from being suppliers to one organisation to becoming competitive businesses capable of serving multiple markets.
Minister Kenewendo commended Morupule Coal Mine for using CEEP to promote local business development, employment and industrialisation. She highlighted the role that citizen-owned enterprises can play in creating jobs and retaining more economic value within Botswana. When local businesses secure opportunities within major industries, their growth can generate demand for additional workers, suppliers and professional services. This can create wider economic benefits beyond the companies that directly receive contracts from the mine. The Minister’s support for the programme also reinforces the importance of collaboration between Government and major economic institutions in creating opportunities for citizens.
The Minister also highlighted the strategic importance of Morupule Coal Mine to Botswana’s energy security. A reliable domestic coal supply remains important as the country works towards greater energy self-sufficiency and seeks to strengthen its electricity generation capacity. Botswana has also expressed ambitions of eventually becoming a net exporter of electricity, making the reliability of its energy supply increasingly important. Morupule Coal Mine therefore has a role that extends beyond mining and procurement, as its operations are connected to broader national energy objectives. Ensuring that the mine remains productive, safe and resilient can contribute to the country’s efforts to strengthen its energy security.
Another major achievement highlighted during the visit was Morupule Coal Mine’s 25-year milestone without a single fatality. Kenewendo praised the mine for reaching this milestone and stressed that a zero-harm safety culture should be the standard across all mineral licence holders. Mining remains an industry where strong safety systems, employee awareness and consistent operational discipline are essential. A long period without a fatality demonstrates the importance of maintaining safety practices and reinforcing responsibility at every level of an operation. The Minister’s comments also placed safety alongside economic empowerment and enterprise development as important elements of a sustainable mining industry.
The emphasis on safety is particularly relevant as Botswana seeks to expand the contribution of its mineral sector to the economy. Economic growth within mining must be accompanied by responsible operational practices that protect workers and communities. A strong safety culture can also support business continuity by reducing the risks associated with workplace accidents and operational disruptions. For Morupule Coal Mine, maintaining its safety record will require continued investment in training, monitoring and adherence to established standards. The 25-year milestone provides an important achievement, but it also creates a responsibility to ensure that the same commitment continues into the future.
Minister Kenewendo urged Morupule Coal Mine to sustain and deepen its Citizen Economic Empowerment Programme. She also encouraged participating businesses to continue strengthening their capacity and to actively pursue opportunities beyond the mine. This message reflects the broader objective of creating enterprises that can become self-sustaining and competitive rather than remaining dependent on government-supported or mining-related contracts. Businesses that use the support available to improve their management systems, products, services and market reach will be better positioned to take advantage of new opportunities. The focus on expansion beyond Morupule also encourages entrepreneurs to view CEEP as a platform for development rather than simply a source of procurement contracts.
The Morupule Coal Mine ministerial visit has therefore highlighted the practical role that citizen economic empowerment can play in Botswana’s economic development. Through CEEP, citizen-owned businesses are being given opportunities to participate in supply and value chains while receiving support aimed at improving their long-term competitiveness. The programme’s focus on capacity building, mentorship, market access and export readiness gives participating enterprises tools that can potentially help them move into larger markets. At the same time, Morupule Coal Mine’s contribution to energy security and its strong safety record demonstrate the wider responsibilities associated with a major national mining operation. By continuing to strengthen citizen businesses while maintaining high operational and safety standards, Morupule Coal Mine can contribute to a more resilient mining sector and create lasting economic opportunities for Batswana.
