31 Jul 2019

The ministry of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services allocates land to various churches depending on the availability of land, parliament has been told.

The Assistant Minister of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services, Mr Itumeleng Moipisi explained that a provision for civic and community use, such as churches and schools was usually made when detailed layout plans were prepared.

Such plots, he said were then allocated through a public tender for fairness.

Assistant Minister Moipisi said government was greatly concerned by lack of places of worship by various churches in the country hence his ministry through land boards ensured that there was provision in every village layout plans prepared for civic and community use which included churches.

He said tenders were floated as and when plots became available and it was upon applicants to specify the exact use that the plot was wanted for.

Mr Moipisi further said government appreciated and recognised the role played by churches in Botswana both in nurturing the moral values and the peace enjoyed in the country.

Furthermore, he said, some churches had also contributed greatly in the development of the country through construction of schools and hospitals while others continued to socially assist the less privileged in the community.

He said the Ministry of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs regularly provided information on the requirements to register a church such as constitutional requirements.

The ministry further provides capacity building on governance issues through workshops, sensitization programmes covering issues such as compliance to the Societies Act, anti-money laundering and terrorism financing.

Mr Moipisi said according to information from Ministry of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs, as at end of July 2019, the total number of registered Religious Organisations including churches in Botswana stood at 2348.

The assistant minister said allocation of plots to churches started even before the establishment of the land boards and Department of Lands, saying plots were allocated by bogosi.

He said churches had plots in both state land and tribal areas, saying it was worth noting and appreciated by parliament that a registered church could have more than one plot depending on the spatial distribution of its branches in the country.

Mr Moipisi said in the past five years his ministry allocated 1048 plots to churches in tribal areas and six in urban areas.

The Member of Parliament for Gaborone North, Mr Haskins Nkaigwa had asked if there were any plans by government to allocate land to various churches some of which worship in open spaces, homes and rented expensive warehouses.

Mr Nkaigwa also wanted know whether government was concerned by the lack of places of worship by various churches in the country and if so what was being done to assist such churches.

He further  asked if the role played by the churches in nurturing a peaceful, loving and united Botswana was not visible to government and if so what support was government offering to the churches in Botswana.

In addition, Mr Nkaigwa wanted to know how many churches were registered in the country and how many of them had been allocated land as well as the number of plots that had been allocated to the churches.  Ends