BDF move to upgrade cyber force arm sparks fears
The Botswana Defence Force (BDF) is in the process of procuring data extraction and analytical tools to upgrade their cyber cyber force to boost cyberwarfare, cybersecurity, and counter-cyberwarfare and has moved swiftly to delink their move from their parent ministry’s recent controversial bid to spy on citizens through the Criminal Procedure and Evidence (Controlled Investigations) Bill of 2022 which initially sought among others to empower law enforcement agencies to use undercover operations to intercept communications.
The BDF, among others has a responsibilities to combat cyberterrorism and to establish cyber power projection to “protects both the BDF and citizens of this Republic.” Responding to this publication’s request, the BDF spokesperson, Colonel Tebo Dikole said: “It is pertinent to note that the rise in use of information technology has triggered the risk of cyber-attacks, and organisations such as the BDF remain a target, therefore there is a need for the BDF to keep up and maintain a secure cyberspace through provision of resilient and robust capabilities. Cyber security is critical in the military as it protects both the BDF and citizens of this Republic. It is against this background that in 2021 a market research on the possible upgrade of BDF’s analytical tools was done through Request for Quotation (RFQ).”
Dikole however says they currently don’t have any active tender for procurement of forensic extraction tools, further adding that the market research of this equipment is not in any way in line with the recently proposed Criminal, Procedure and Evidence Bill, which only came before parliament at the end of January 2022, but solely for military operational purposes.
“Further, you must be aware that the BDF in terms of the law is not a criminal investigating agency and thus would not be the entity of government to bring cases before court. As stated above, the survey was for its military operational needs,” he clarified.
An unconfirmed intercepted RFQ BDF document has listed several Forensic Extraction Tools they need, among those being Magnetic Axiom and recovery digital evidence tool which –acquire images from locked and unlocked IOS devices, Bypass passwords on thousand of Android models with exploits and advanced extraction capabilities, recover evidence from Windows-based computers and Macs, retrieve data from 50plus of the most popular cloud services including icloud, google, facebook, whattsapp, twitter, instagram and skype etc.
The tool also offers advanced parsing and carving techniques to recover the deepest artefact data from 1000+ artifact, industry-leading discovery of chat, picture, browser history and location data, discover more macOS artifacts. The tool also has connections feature to automatically show relationships between artifacts, files and people and timeline to present evidence on a visual timeline that immediately tells a story. Another tool needed is the Data Pilot which retrieves all contact records, call history, messages calendar, files being images, video and more and all deleted data.
Security analytics……
Research shows that Security analytics is a proactive approach to cybersecurity that uses data collection, aggregation and analysis capabilities to perform vital security functions that detect, analyze and mitigate cyber threats. Security analytics, online literature says are tools such as threat detection and security monitoring which are deployed with the aim of identifying and investigating security incidents or potential threats such as external malware, targeted attacks and malicious insiders.
“With the ability to detect these threats at early stages, security professionals have the opportunity to stop them before they infiltrate network infrastructure, compromise valuable data and assets, or otherwise cause harm to the organization,” reads a security based online site which further states that security analytics solutions aggregate data from numerous sources that include endpoint and user behaviour data, business applications, operating system event logs, firewalls, routers, virus scanners, external threat intelligence and contextual data, among other things.
“Combining and correlating this data gives organizations one primary data set to work with, allowing security professionals to apply appropriate algorithms and create rapid searches to identify early indicators of an attack. In addition, machine learning technologies can also be used to conduct threat and data analysis in near real time,” reads the document. Dikole however says the nation should not be concerned because the BDF remains steadfast in its mission of securing Botswana’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and national interests.
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Nigerians, Zimbabweans apply for Chema Chema Fund
Fronting activities, where locals are used as a front for foreign-owned businesses, have been a long-standing issue in Botswana. These activities not only undermine the government’s efforts to promote local businesses but also deprive Batswana of opportunities for economic empowerment, officials say. The Ministry of Trade and Industry has warned of heavy penalties for those involved in fronting activities especially in relation to the latest popular government initiative dubbed Chema Chema.
According to the Ministry, the Industrial Development Act of 2019 clearly outlines the consequences of engaging in fronting activities. The fines of up to P50,000 for first-time offenders and P20,000 plus a two-year jail term for repeat offenders send a strong message that the government is serious about cracking down on this illegal practice. These penalties are meant to deter individuals from participating in fronting activities and to protect the integrity of local industries.
“It is disheartening to hear reports of collaboration between foreigners and locals to exploit government initiatives such as the Chema Chema Fund. This fund, administered by CEDA and LEA, is meant to support informal traders and low-income earners in Botswana. However, when fronting activities come into play, the intended beneficiaries are sidelined, and the funds are misused for personal gain.” It has been discovered that foreign nationals predominantly of Zimbabwean and Nigerian origin use unsuspecting Batswana to attempt to access the Chema Chema Fund. It is understood that they approach these Batswana under the guise of drafting business plans for them or simply coming up with ‘bankable business ideas that qualify for Chema Chema.’
Observers say the Chema Chema Fund has the potential to uplift the lives of many Batswana who are struggling to make ends meet. They argue that it is crucial that these funds are used for their intended purpose and not siphoned off through illegal activities such as fronting. The Ministry says the warning it issued serves as a reminder to all stakeholders involved in the administration of these funds to ensure transparency and accountability in their disbursement.
One local commentator said it is important to highlight the impact of fronting activities on the local economy and the livelihoods of Batswana. He said by using locals as a front for foreign-owned businesses, opportunities for local entrepreneurs are stifled, and the economic empowerment of Batswana is hindered. The Ministry’s warning of heavy penalties is a call to action for all stakeholders to work together to eliminate fronting activities and promote a level playing field for local businesses.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Trade and Industry’s warning of heavy penalties for fronting activities is a necessary step to protect the integrity of local industries and promote economic empowerment for Batswana. “It is imperative that all stakeholders comply with regulations and work towards a transparent and accountable business environment. By upholding the law and cracking down on illegal activities, we can ensure a fair and prosperous future for all Batswana.”
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Merck Foundation and African First Ladies mark World Health Day 2024
Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany marks “World Health Day” 2024 together with Africa’s First Ladies who are also Ambassadors of MerckFoundation “More Than a Mother” Campaign through their Scholarship and Capacity Building Program. Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation emphasized, “At Merck Foundation, we mark World Health Day every single day of the year over the past 12 years, by building healthcare capacity and transforming patient care across Africa, Asia and beyond.
I am proud to share that Merck Foundation has provided over 1740 scholarships to aspiring young doctors from 52 countries, in 44 critical and underserved medical specialties such as Oncology, Diabetes, Preventative Cardiovascular Medicine, Endocrinology, Sexual and Reproductive Medicine, Acute Medicine, Respiratory Medicine, Embryology & Fertility specialty, Gastroenterology, Dermatology, Psychiatry, Emergency and Resuscitation Medicine, Critical Care, Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Neonatal Medicine, Advanced Surgical Practice, Pain Management, General Surgery, Clinical Microbiology and infectious diseases, Internal Medicine, Trauma & Orthopedics, Neurosurgery, Neurology, Cardiology, Stroke Medicine, Care of the Older Person, Family Medicine, Pediatrics and Child Health, Obesity & Weight Management, Women’s Health, Biotechnology in ART and many more”.
As per the available data, Africa has only 34.6% of the required doctors, nurses, and midwives. It is projected that by 2030, Africa would need additional 6.1 million doctors, nurses, and midwives*. “For Example, before the start of the Merck Foundation programs in 2012; there was not a single Oncologist, Fertility or Reproductive care specialists, Diabetologist, Respiratory or ICU specialist in many countries such as The Gambia, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Central African Republic, Guinea, Burundi, Niger, Chad, Ethiopia, Namibia among others. We are certainly creating historic legacy in Africa, and also beyond. Together with our partners like Africa’s First Ladies, Ministries of Health, Gender, Education and Communication, we are impacting the lives of people in the most disadvantaged communities in Africa and beyond.”, added Senator Dr. Kelej. Merck Foundation works closely with their Ambassadors, the African First Ladies and local partners such as; Ministries of Health, Education, Information & Communication, Gender, Academia, Research Institutions, Media and Art in building healthcare capacity and addressing health, social & economic challenges in developing countries and under-served communities. “I strongly believe that training healthcare providers and building professional healthcare capacity is the right strategy to improve access to equitable and quality at health care in Africa.
Therefore, I am happy to announce the Call for Applications for 2024 Scholarships for young doctors with special focus on female doctors for our online one-year diploma and two year master degree in 44 critical and underserved medical specialties, which includes both Online Diploma programs and On-Site Fellowship and clinical training programs. The applications are invited through the Office of our Ambassadors and long-term partners, The First Ladies of Africa and Ministry of Health of each country.” shared Dr . Kelej. “Our aim is to improve the overall health and wellbeing of people by building healthcare capacity across Africa, Asia and other developing countries. We are strongly committed to transforming patientcare landscape through our scholarships program”, concluded Senator Kelej.
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Interpol fugitive escapes from Botswana
John Isaak Ndovi, a Tanzanian national embroiled in controversy and pursued under a red notice by the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), has mysteriously vanished, bypassing a scheduled bail hearing at the Extension 2 Magistrate Court in Gaborone. Previously apprehended by Botswana law enforcement at the Tlokweng border post several months earlier, his escape has ignited serious concerns.
Accused of pilfering assets worth in excess of P1 million, an amount translating to roughly 30,000 Omani Riyals, Ndovi has become a figure of paramount interest, especially to the authorities in the Sultanate of Oman, nestled in the far reaches of Asia.
The unsettling news of his disappearance surfaced following his failure to present himself at the Extension 2 Magistrate Court the preceding week. Speculation abounds that Ndovi may have sought refuge in South Africa in a bid to elude capture, prompting a widespread mobilization of law enforcement agencies to ascertain his current location.
In an official communiqué, Detective Senior Assistant Police Commissioner Selebatso Mokgosi of Interpol Gaborone disclosed Ndovi’s apprehension last September at the Tlokweng border, a capture made possible through the vigilant issuance of the Interpol red notice.
At 36, Ndovi is implicated in a case of alleged home invasion in Oman. Despite the non-existence of an extradition treaty between Botswana and Oman, Nomsa Moatswi, the Director of the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP), emphasized that the lack of formal extradition agreements does not hinder her office’s ability to entertain extradition requests. She highlighted the adoption of international cooperation norms, advocating for collaboration through the lenses of international comity and reciprocity.
Moatswi disclosed the intensified effort by law enforcement to locate Ndovi following his no-show in court, and pointed to Botswana’s track record of extraditing two international fugitives from France and Zimbabwe in the previous year as evidence of the country’s relentless pursuit of legal integrity.
When probed about the potential implications of Ndovi’s case on Botswana’s forthcoming evaluation by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), Moatswi reserved her speculations. She acknowledged the criticality of steering clear of blacklisting, suggesting that this singular case is unlikely to feature prominently in the FATF’s assessment criteria.