20 Jul 2017

Minister of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs, Mr Edwin Batshu says the Societies Act has registered 2 238 religious organisations as of 30 June 2017.

Gaborone North MP, Mr Haskins Nkaigwa wanted the minister to state the number of churches registered in Botswana. Minister Batshu noted that Bahai have registerd one religious organisation while Buddhism has registered two and Christian churches have registered 2 218.

He added that Hindu has registered four, Muslims seven, Rastafarian five while Sikh has registered two.

Still in Parliament, the MP for Ghanzi North, Mr Noah Salakae asked the Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration if it was true that members of the Directorate of Intelligence and Security were collaborating with poachers to steal ivory, and if so, to state the number of arrests in the financial years 2016/2017 and 2 017/2018, the value of ivory stolen for the two periods, and whether they had been prosecuted, and if not, why. 

Assistant Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration, Mr Thato Kwerepe said it was not true that the Directorate of Intelligence and Security were collaborating with poachers to steal ivory hence there were no arrests for financial years 2016/2017 and 2017/2018.