Over 24k plots availed for Bonno programme
Innocent Selatlhwa | Wednesday November 19, 2025 06:34
Gabane-Mmankgodi legislator Kagiso Mmusi had asked the minister whether he issued a special directive to Land Boards to speed up land allocations for Bonno projects, if so, how many plots have been allocated across the country and which companies benefited. Mmusi also wanted to know what happens to people who have been on the waiting lists for plots for many years, and whether those people also do not deserve a special dispensation to be allocated plots speedily, and when they can expect to be allocated plots.
Ramogapi said the ministry has asked the Land Boards to facilitate the Bonno National Housing Programme by allocating land to the Government of Botswana. This is in aid of speeding up the construction of and access to housing by, amongst others, people who need accommodation but may not have the capital to undertake the underlying developments.
The minister said the prevailing Botswana Land Policy allows exceptional allocations. These, he said, have been made through the Destitute Housing Programme and other such programmes, which are delivered or have been delivered through the Ministry of Local Development and Traditional Affairs. The Self-Help Housing Scheme (SHHA) is one such, and the Bonno initiative fits within this scope.
“Such land will, subsequently, be sub-leased to the investors identified by the Ministry of Water and Human Settlement. The Land Boards do not allocate the plots and land to the companies, but to the Government of Botswana. The ministry responsible for the Bonno National Housing Programme is to then identify investors, who would then sub-lease the plots for the development of the housing units as per their agreement,” he said.
The Minister said the allocation of plots for the Programme, whilst running parallel to general plot allocations, is a government priority programme and one of the key promises to provide 100,000 houses. “A plot is a pre-requisite to housing; therefore, where a programme exists that will deliver the end product, being shelter, that programme is given priority in terms of land,” he stated.
“In the process, and recognising that others do, or may have the capacity to undertake their own developments, my ministry is concurrently working on a quick process of allocating plots. As we speak, all Board Secretaries of the 12 Main Land Boards are meeting in Gaborone to help with recommendations that will improve the administrative process,” he said.
Insofar as those recommendations are concerned, and to the extent that they affect skills, personnel and enhanced process-management, Ramogapi said the Ministry of Land and Agriculture intends to effect the required changes in the next two months in respect to laying the foundation.
“I expect, therefore, that by the beginning of the next financial year (2026–2027), notable change will be seen. Plot allocations are ongoing across the Land Boards as and when plots become readily available. We recognise that improvements have to be made,” he said. The minister said that, like the rest of the economy, the ministry is resource-challenged in terms of prior preparatory work. For plots to be allocated, he said, they must be planned, surveyed and registered in the Land Information System (LIS).
Meanwhile, Ramogapi, still on behalf of Dikoloti, said there are plans in place to transform and modernise the ministry's operations, to make it easier and faster for citizens to obtain land-related services such as consents, transfers, and title deeds. Molepolole North legislator Arafat Khan had asked whether there are such plans.
“Where practical, these are already being put in place. To reach an enhanced or optimal status will, however, require further financial investment by the government. In the short term, and in seeking to facilitate efficient and more rapid issuance of secure land titles, my ministry has taken a decision that: land delivery processes that are not catered for in the LIS be carried out manually,” he said.
He said the decision had been taken on the basis that there are critical process gaps which were overlooked during the initial LIS development process. These problems, he said, are now manifesting as operational challenges that hinder timely customer facilitation. “Additionally, new forms of land transactions continue to emerge. In the short-term, and in order to overcome the underlying challenges, both system and manual processes will be used concurrently to ensure seamless service delivery,” he said.
The minister said, in addition, that some legal bottlenecks are being addressed. He said the review of the Deeds Registry Act is at an advanced stage. He said one of the key amendments is to remove the requirement for outside figures in the old built-up areas in tribal land. Once passed, he said, it is expected to unlock secure land titles in the old built-up areas.
Land Boards have been directed that their Land Administration Committees should meet at least twice a month to speed up consents and land transfers. “The delivery is at times affected by the limited resources, especially where site visits have to be undertaken to produce sketch plans. My ministry is currently undertaking an exercise to rationalise staff across the Land Boards and the ministry at large,” he said.