20 Feb 2014

The citizenship committee considers every citizenship application and makes recommendations to the minister, Parliament has been told.

Responding to a question, the Minister for Labour and Home Affairs Mr Edwin Batshu said the committee assessed the applications against a criteria which took into account the applicant’s skills, occupation, character, level of investment, involvement in community activity and social responsibility.

Minister Batshu said applications for Botswana citizenship were submitted, considered, approved or not approved in terms of the Citizenship Act, CAP 01:01 Sections 12 and 13.

The sections, the minister said prescribed the powers of the minister to grant a certificate of naturalisation and the conditions under which one could be granted Botswana citizenship.

Mr Batshu was responding to a question asked by Member of Parliament for Kanye South, Mr Abram Kesupile who wanted to minister to state reasons for denying Botswana citizenship to well– known families of local traders who had stayed in Botswana many years and with a good record of corporate social responsibility. ENDS