People group profile · PG015244
The Mbukushu of Botswana
The Mbukushu of Botswana, numbering about 41,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Bantu-speaking ethnic group indigenous to Southern Africa. They primarily live along the Okavango River, in regions such as Ngamiland (Botswana), the Okavango Delta, the Kavango region (Namibia), and into southern Angola and southwestern Zambia.
They are an indigenous people in the Bantu, Central-South people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Animism, and they primarily speak Mbukushu.

Fast facts
- Country
- Botswana
- Population
- 41,000
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Bantu, Central-South
- Primary language
- Mbukushu (mhw)
- Primary religion
- Animism
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Expanding Unreached People Group
- Also known as
- Hambukushu, Mbukushu, Gova
- Region
- Southern Africa, Africa
Where they live
Gospel status
The Mbukushu are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Mbukushu
- Continue prayer and fasting for this group
- Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
- Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people
Primary religion
Animism · Ethnoreligion
70% adherents
Primary language
Mbukushu · Atlantic-Congo family
100% speak Mbukushu
Gospel resources in Mbukushu
- Bible available, published 1993
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources not available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Mbukushu)
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Mbukushu
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
Mbukushu in other countries
The same people (ROP3 106490) is reported in 3 other countries.
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