05 Aug 2026

Full implementation of the Bonno National Housing Programme in Serowe District has stalled due to land-related challenges, including undetailed and unsurveyed plots, Parliament heard on Monday.

Minister of Water and Human Settlement, Mr Onneetse Ramogapi, told MPs that other factors delaying the programme include slow approval of survey diagrams, a general shortage of residential land, and the omission of the government lease template from the land information system.

He said the delays have directly affected the timely issuance of land leases, which investors need to take possession of allocated land and begin construction.

“The timely issuance of leases is a critical prerequisite, as it enables investors to take possession of the allocated land and commence housing development,” Mr Ramogapi said.

To resolve the bottlenecks, the ministry has established a joint technical team made up of officials from the ministry, the Office of the District Commissioner, relevant land boards, the Department of Surveys and Mapping, and district councils.

The team has been tasked with expediting surveying, allocation and lease processing for 357 plots already set aside in Serowe District. It will also work to secure additional land to support the continued rollout of the Bonno Programme. According to the minister, the 357 plots have been allocated to five investors. The breakdown is 90 plots in Serowe North, 137 in Serowe South, and 130 in Serowe West.

At Mmashoro village, the land board offered 98 plots. An investor was allocated 50 based on assessed financial capacity. The remaining plots will be considered for other qualified investors once identified. Construction will begin once leases are issued.

“The allocation has been limited to 357 plots due to shortage of available and serviceable land within the district,” Mr Ramogapi explained.

The ministry, he added, remained committed to expanding the programme and increasing housing delivery as more land becomes available. However, not all listed villages attracted investor interest under the Bonno Programme. Mr Ramogapi attributed this to geographical location and low housing demand, which affected commercial viability for private sector investment.

He noted that the affected areas also face an acute shortage of housing, particularly for public officers. To address this, the ministry is engaging the Serowe District Council to determine the precise housing demand in those villages. The goal is to invite expressions of interest from private investors to develop rental housing for public officers.

Mr Ramogapi was responding to a question from Serowe West MP, Mr Onalepelo Kedikilwe. The MP sought clarity on timelines for the start of house construction under the Bonno Programme in Serowe, the ministry’s housing delivery targets for the district, and when an investor would be appointed for Serowe West to begin operations. ENDS