01 Aug 2019

Assistant Minister of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services Mr Itumeleng Moipisi says his ministry has been consulting on the amendments of Botswana Land Policy of 2015 especially on allocation of plots to those whose spouses already own plots and other issues arising from implementation of the policy.

Answering a question in Parliament, Mr Moipisi said the consultations were done to holistically address all issues that needed amendment of the policy instead of a piecemeal approach.

The amendment was tabled on July 25 for consideration during the current Parliament meeting, he said.

Mr Moipisi said Botswana Land Policy of 2015, would continue to apply as is, until Parliament considered and approved the amendments.

All applications relating to the aforementioned will be considered after the revised policy comes into force or effects, he said.

He also told the house that the process had been prolonged as land issues were complex and sensitive, also inundated by several interested and affected stakeholders to consult.

Mr Moipisi was responding to a question asked by Francistown South Member of Parliament, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi who had asked the minister to state the progress made regarding the amendments of the Land Policy especially on allocation of plots to those whose spouses already own plots and whether people who had been disadvantaged by the policy would be given plots once it was reviewed.

He had also asked why the review had taken long given that the ministry promised to bring the policy for correction many years ago. Ends