20 Aug 2019

The Minister of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs, Mr Ngaka Ngaka, says cases of children born between Batswana and illegal immigrants are a concern to the ministry.

The minister told a kgotla meeting in Mmankgodi on August 19 that such children would automatically rescind their Botswana citizenship when they reach the age of 21 years.

In order for such children not to lose their citizenship, they would have to provide documents renouncing the citizenship of either country, saying in some instances parents failed to trace the whereabouts of the other parent leading to the suffering of the child.

Minister Ngaka said the current legislation did not allow for dual citizenship, therefore such cases were not easy to solve.

He cautioned Batswana against engaging in relationships with illegal immigrants or accommodating or hiring them.

He stated that it was common knowledge that illegal immigrants staying in the country would ultimately have affairs, which sometimes led to children being born.

The minister cautioned that those who accommodated illegal immigrants would face the wrath of the law.

On other issues, Minister Ngaka complained about high cases of violence recorded by his ministry and added that such cases were increasing every year.

For his part, Gabane-Mmankgodi MP, Maj. Gen. Pius Mokgware decried that Thamaga Primary Hospital was  not offering birth and death certificates.

As such residents of Mmankgodi, who used the facilities, were forced to travel to Molepolole for such service.

He also called on the community to plan their role in helping the country to rid of illegal immigrants.

Kgosi Lawrence Thobega of Mmankgodi complained that the community accessed services under the Ministry of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs as far as Thamaga, Molepolole, Ramotswa and Moshupa.

He further regretted that the village clinic was understaffed with only three nurses and there was also shortage of drugs. ENDS