20 Feb 2017

Minister of Defence, Justice and Security, Mr Shaw Kgathi says he is constrained to divulge information that seeks specific details regarding location of military personnel and deployments as well as the number of members of the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) living in rented or shared accommodation.

Answering a question in Parliament on Thursday, from MP for Gaborone North, Mr Haskins Nkaigwa, Minister Kgathi said it was not ideal to divulge information on such matters as this might compromise security.

“Currently, 69.5 per cent of the military personnel are accommodated at various BDF barracks, while 5.9 per cent are accommodated in privately owned accommodation and 5.9 per cent of non-uniformed BDF employees are accommodated and paying rent as per the Public Service Management Directive No. 14 of 1988,” he said.

Mr Kgathi further said ‘40.3 per cent of military personnel are sharing accommodation. Currently there are no soldiers accommodated in tents on permanent basis’.

He however said 7.7 per cent of the military personnel are housed in offices, halls and working areas.

The minister also said strategies to ensure full accommodation of all soldiers on non-sharing basis included construction of houses for BDF members that would be acquired through the normal procurement channels using entities such as BHC as per Defence Council advice vide communication of August 31, 2001.

Mr Kgathi said the services ranged from construction, provision of project management, leasing as well as sale of accommodation.

“Through NDP 11 and ESP, we shall construct a total of 680 accommodation units. 

Further, the construction of the Gantsi Garrison will be undertaken,” he said.

Mr Kgathi said BDF was also considering other strategies such as Public Private Partnership (PPP), leasing and outright purchase.

Under outright purchase, the minister said in the current financial year, the BDF would procure 56 developed housing units known as Masa in Francistown. 

The BDF has also secured 108 housing units from BHC at Phakalane in Gaborone.

Gaborone North legislator had asked the minister to state the number of soldiers currently accommodated at various Botswana Defence Force barracks, privately housed and the amount of rent paid annually for private accommodation since 2010.

He also wanted the minister to mention the number of soldiers sharing accommodation, those living in tents and working areas and also to state the strategy to ensure full accommodation for all on a non-sharing basis. BOPA