Honourable Mr Justice Gaolapelwe Gee Ketlogetswe

Chief Justice, High Court, Botswana

Honourable Mr Justice Gaolapelwe Gee Ketlogetswe serves as Chief Justice of the High Court of Botswana, bringing with him over three decades of experience within the justice system, encompassing roles as Magistrate, Principal Magistrate, Assistant Registrar and Master of the High Court, and Judge of the High Court. Since assuming office, he has candidly acknowledged the challenge of declining public trust in the judiciary and has prioritised restoring confidence through greater transparency, accountability, and service enhancement.

His major reform initiatives include extending the reach of the High Court by establishing new courts in underserved regions such as Mahalapye, Palapye, Ghanzi and Kgalagadi, introducing mediation mechanisms to reduce case backlogs, and creating specialised commercial and criminal courts. Chief Justice Ketlogetswe has also focused on strengthening court administration by addressing court reporter shortages, improving resource allocation, and modernising records management systems to ensure more efficient justice delivery. His comprehensive reform agenda advances both access to justice and institutional capacity building across Botswana’s judicial framework.