Botswana legislation via MCP -- full-text search across statutes and provisions
Botswana legislation via MCP -- full-text search across statutes and provisions
Valid MCP server (3 strong, 3 medium validity signals). 3 known CVEs in dependencies (0 critical, 3 high severity) Package registry verified. Imported from the Official MCP Registry. Trust signals: trusted author (189/191 approved).
5 files analyzed · 4 issues found
Security scores are indicators to help you make informed decisions, not guarantees. Always review permissions before connecting any MCP server.
This plugin requests these system permissions. Most are normal for its category.
Add this to your MCP configuration file:
{
"mcpServers": {
"eu-ansvar-botswana-law-mcp": {
"args": [
"-y",
"@ansvar/botswana-law-mcp"
],
"command": "npx"
}
}
}From the project's GitHub README.
The BACLAYS alternative for the AI age.
Query 882 Botswanan Acts -- from the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Penal Code to the Companies Act, Employment Act, and more -- directly from Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-compatible client.
If you're building legal tech, compliance tools, or doing Botswanan legal research, this is your verified reference database.
Built by Ansvar Systems -- Stockholm, Sweden
Botswanan legal research means navigating laws.parliament.bw, botswanalii.org, and scattered government PDF publications. Whether you're:
...you shouldn't need dozens of browser tabs and manual PDF cross-referencing. Ask Claude. Get the exact provision. With context.
This MCP server makes Botswanan law searchable, cross-referenceable, and AI-readable.
Connect directly to the hosted version -- zero dependencies, nothing to install.
Endpoint: https://botswana-law-mcp.vercel.app/mcp
| Client | How to Connect |
|---|---|
| Claude.ai | Settings > Connectors > Add Integration > paste URL |
| Claude Code | claude mcp add botswana-law --transport http https://botswana-law-mcp.vercel.app/mcp |
| Claude Desktop | Add to config (see below) |
| GitHub Copilot | Add to VS Code settings (see below) |
Claude Desktop -- add to claude_desktop_config.json:
{
"mcpServers": {
"botswana-law": {
"type": "url",
"url": "https://botswana-law-mcp.vercel.app/mcp"
}
}
}
GitHub Copilot -- add to VS Code settings.json:
{
"github.copilot.chat.mcp.servers": {
"botswana-law": {
"type": "http",
"url": "https://botswana-law-mcp.vercel.app/mcp"
}
}
}
npx @ansvar/botswana-law-mcp
Claude Desktop -- add to claude_desktop_config.json:
macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
{
"mcpServers": {
"botswana-law": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@ansvar/botswana-law-mcp"]
}
}
}
Cursor / VS Code:
{
"mcp.servers": {
"botswana-law": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@ansvar/botswana-law-mcp"]
}
}
}
Once connected, just ask naturally:
| Category | Count | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Acts | 882 statutes | Comprehensive Botswanan legislation |
| Provisions | 7,626 sections | Full-text searchable with FTS5 |
| Legal Definitions | 7,703 definitions | Extracted from Act texts |
| Database Size | ~17 MB | Optimized SQLite, portable |
| Freshness Checks | Automated | Monitoring against laws.parliament.bw |
Verified data only -- every citation is validated against official sources (laws.parliament.bw, botswanalii.org). Zero LLM-generated content.
Verbatim Source Text (No LLM Processing):
Smart Context Management:
Technical Architecture:
botswanalaws.com / laws.parliament.bw --> Parse --> SQLite --> FTS5 snippet() --> MCP response
^ ^
Provision parser Verbatim database query
| Traditional Approach | This MCP Server |
|---|---|
| Search laws.parliament.bw by Act name | Search by plain language: "data protection consent" |
| Navigate multi-section Acts manually | Get the exact provision with context |
| Manual cross-referencing between Acts | build_legal_stance aggregates across sources |
| "Is this Act still in force?" --> check manually | check_currency tool --> answer in seconds |
| Find SADC/AU alignment --> dig through frameworks | get_eu_basis --> linked frameworks instantly |
| No API, no integration | MCP protocol --> AI-native |
Traditional: Search laws.parliament.bw --> Download PDF --> Ctrl+F --> Cross-reference Acts --> Check amendments manually --> Repeat
This MCP: "What are the data subject rights under the Data Protection Act 2018 and how do they compare to SADC frameworks?" --> Done.
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
search_legislation | FTS5 full-text search across 7,626 provisions with BM25 ranking. Supports quoted phrases, boolean operators, prefix wildcards |
get_provision | Retrieve specific provision by Act name and section number |
check_currency | Check if an Act is in force, amended, or repealed |
validate_citation | Validate citation against database -- zero-hallucination check. Supports "Section 12 Data Protection Act 2018", "s. 5 Penal Code" |
build_legal_stance | Aggregate citations from multiple Acts for a legal topic |
format_citation | Format citations per Botswanan conventions (full/short/pinpoint) |
list_sources | List all available Acts with metadata, coverage scope, and data provenance |
about | Server info, capabilities, dataset statistics, and coverage summary |
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
get_eu_basis | Get international frameworks (SADC, AU, Commonwealth) that a Botswanan Act aligns with |
get_botswanan_implementations | Find Botswanan laws implementing a specific international framework or convention |
search_eu_implementations | Search international documents with Botswanan alignment counts |
get_provision_eu_basis | Get international law references for a specific provision |
validate_eu_compliance | Check alignment status of Botswanan laws against international standards |
Botswana is not an EU member state. Botswanan law develops through its own Westminster-derived constitutional and parliamentary framework, with international alignment through:
The international bridge tools allow you to explore these alignment relationships -- checking which Botswanan provisions correspond to SADC or AU requirements, and vice versa.
Note: International cross-references reflect alignment and framework relationships, not direct transposition. Botswana develops its own legislative approach, and the alignment tools help identify where Botswanan and international law address similar domains.
All content is sourced from authoritative Botswanan legal databases:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Authority | Republic of Botswana |
| Primary source | botswanalaws.com / laws.parliament.bw |
| Languages | English (official language) |
| Coverage | 882 consolidated Acts |
| Last ingested | 2026-02-25 |
A GitHub Actions workflow monitors data sources for changes:
| Check | Method |
|---|---|
| Act amendments | Drift detection against known provision anchors |
| New Acts | Comparison against source index |
| Repealed Acts | Status change detection |
Verified data only -- every citation is validated against official sources. Zero LLM-generated content.
This project uses multiple layers of automated security scanning:
| Scanner | What It Does | Schedule |
|---|---|---|
| CodeQL | Static analysis for security vulnerabilities | Weekly + PRs |
| Semgrep | SAST scanning (OWASP top 10, secrets, TypeScript) | Every push |
| Gitleaks | Secret detection across git history | Every push |
| Trivy | CVE scanning on filesystem and npm dependencies | Daily |
| Socket.dev | Supply chain attack detection | PRs |
| Dependabot | Automated dependency updates | Weekly |
See SECURITY.md for the full policy and vulnerability reporting.
THIS TOOL IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE
Statute text is sourced from botswanalaws.com and laws.parliament.bw. However:
- This is a research tool, not a substitute for professional legal counsel
- Court case coverage is not included -- do not rely solely on this for case law research
- Verify critical citations against primary sources for court filings
- International cross-references reflect alignment relationships, not direct transposition
Before using professionally, read: DISCLAIMER.md | SECURITY.md
Queries go through the Claude API. For privileged or confidential matters, use on-premise deployment.
For professional legal use in Botswana, consult guidance from the Law Society of Botswana regarding professional obligations and confidentiality requirements.
git clone https://github.com/Ansvar-Systems/Botswana-law-mcp
cd Botswana-law-mcp
npm install
npm run build
npm test
npm run dev # Start MCP server
npx @anthropic/mcp-inspector node dist/index.js # Test with MCP Inspector
npm run ingest # Ingest Acts from botswanalaws.com
npm run build:db # Rebuild SQLite database
npm run drift:detect # Run drift detection against anchors
npm run check-updates # Check for amendments and new Acts
npm run census # Generate coverage census
This server is part of Ansvar's Compliance Suite -- MCP servers that work together for end-to-end compliance coverage:
Query 49 EU regulations directly from Claude -- GDPR, AI Act, DORA, NIS2, MiFID II, eIDAS, and more. Full regulatory text with article-level search. npx @ansvar/eu-regulations-mcp
Query US federal and state compliance laws -- HIPAA, CCPA, SOX, GLBA, FERPA, and more. npx @ansvar/us-regulations-mcp
Query 261 security frameworks -- ISO 27001, NIST CSF, SOC 2, CIS Controls, SCF, and more. npx @ansvar/security-controls-mcp
70+ national law MCPs covering Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Ghana, India, Ireland, Japan, Kenya, Malawi, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, UAE, UK, and more.
Contributions welcome! See CONTRIBUTING.md for guidelines.
Priority areas:
If you use this MCP server in academic research:
@software{botswana_law_mcp_2026,
author = {Ansvar Systems AB},
title = {Botswana Law MCP Server: AI-Powered Legal Research Tool},
year = {2026},
url = {https://github.com/Ansvar-Systems/Botswana-law-mcp},
note = {882 Botswanan Acts with 7,626 provisions sourced from botswanalaws.com}
}
Apache License 2.0. See LICENSE for details.
We build AI-accelerated compliance and legal research tools for the global market. This MCP server started as our internal reference tool -- turns out everyone building for the Botswanan or Southern African market has the same research frustrations.
So we're open-sourcing it. Navigating 882 Acts shouldn't require a law degree.
ansvar.eu -- Stockholm, Sweden
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