25 Aug 2026

The Ministry of Local Government and Traditional Affairs has commenced the process of upgrading Maun into a Green City/Town through engagements with district leadership and consultations with the community.

Answering a question in Parliament, the Assistant Minister of Local Government and Traditional Affairs, Mr Ignatius Moswaane said the process was currently at an advanced stage with consultations having been completed with all ministries and independent government departments. 

He said this was work in progress and required extensive consultation with stakeholders to ensure that the transition was properly coordinated and resulted in a practical and workable framework. 

Mr Moswaane said the proposal to declare Maun a Green Town would be tabled before Cabinet for consideration and decision before the end of September. 

The minister said once approved, the declaration would facilitate the definition of township boundary and urban edge as well as the preparation of a Green Town Spatial Development Plan. 

He said the plan would provide a framework for managing the town’s urbunisation and industrialisation, while creating opportunities for investment and development by both local and external investors. 

Mr Moswaane said it was important to emphasise that without approval of the proposal, the matter could not be addressed holistically as the development of the requisite planning framework was dependent on the formal recognition of Maun Green Town status. 

“Once the township planning framework is in place, various planning and development related aspects in the question asked by the Hon Member of Parliament will be addressed accordingly,” he noted. 

Mr Moswaane said the Smart City Project was launched in North West District in December 2025, however, on April 14, the initiative was withdrawn, with focus subsequently redirected to the Bonno Housing Programme. He said it was important to note the project would no longer depend on land being directly allocated by the Land Board. The minister said the investor had identified suitable land in Polokabatho area and was currently in the process of acquiring the land from various private landowners. 

He said the investor had also submitted an application to the Tawana Land Board for the consolidation of the identified plot and the transfer of land ownership. 

Mr Moswaane said it was envisaged that once the land acquisition process had been resolved, the investor would continue to engage the district structures and leadership on employment opportunities, community engagement and progress of the project throughout its implementation. 

He said the ongoing exercise would also provide recommendations on the appropriate model for upgrading Maun, including consideration of the recommendations of National Spatial Plan 2036 and adopt Green City development principles, taking into account the town’s unique ecological attributes. 

The minister said this approach was intended to provide a coordinated framework that would guide the sustainable development of Maun, support orderly urbanisation and industrialisation and ultimately create an enabling environment for investment and broader economic opportunities for the people of Maun and Botswana as a whole. 

Maun East MP, Mr Goretetse Kekgonegile had asked the minister to brief Parliament on the progress made in Maun Green City project with emphasis on the model of investment and reasons thereof, commencement and completion date of the project. Mr Kekgonegile also wanted to know total area to be utilised, number of ploughing fields to be acquired and progress made on the acquisition. 

He also wanted to know the compensation rates and whether the ploughing fields, which would be acquired would be compensated at uniform rates, if not why. 

The MP also wanted to know the total number of jobs to be created in the medium and long terms and the percentage of non-skilled and semi-skilled jobs to be allocated to district locals and if none, why. ends