Prisons face overcrowding as gov’t pushes for reform, independence
Pini Bothoko | Monday March 30, 2026 06:00
Presenting a speech to the Committee of Supply on Wednesday, Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Nelson Ramaotwana revealed that as of March 18, 2026, the country’s prisons were holding 4,457 inmates against a designed capacity of 4,337.
This represents a 2.8 percent overflow, highlighting persistent congestion across facilities.
Ramaotwana noted that BPS operates 22 prisons and a Centre for Illegal Immigrants, and the overcrowding is placing significant pressure on infrastructure, staff and rehabilitation programmes.
He warned that congestion continues to stifle efforts to maintain humane conditions and deliver effective correctional services.
“Overcrowding places pressure on our resources and stifles efforts to maintain a humane and rehabilitative environment,” the minister said.
Despite these challenges, Ramaotwana announced a major structural reform, stating that the prisons will operate independently of the Ministry starting next month.
The move is expected to improve efficiency, strengthen accountability, and enable more focused planning and resource management.
Beyond custodial duties, the service continues to prioritise rehabilitation as a central pillar of its mandate. Ramaotwana explained that rehabilitation programmes are designed to transform offender behaviour through structured interventions, including education, psychosocial support and vocational training.
Currently, 366 inmates are enrolled in vocational training programmes, with 73 already certified in trades such as dressmaking, welding and refrigeration. A further 106 inmates are scheduled for trade testing at the Madirelo Training and Testing Centre between March and April 2026.
Reintegration efforts are also showing promising results. The minister revealed that 528 community-based reintegration committees have been established nationwide, receiving 243 ex-offenders during the reporting period. Of these, only eight reoffended and returned to prison, while 176 are now employed.
“These statistics demonstrate the positive impact of community involvement in supporting successful reintegration,” he said.
Ramaotwana added that the service is also leveraging agriculture as part of its rehabilitation and food security strategy. Between April 2025 and January 2026, inmates produced over 110,000 kilograms of vegetables valued at more than P1.28 million, which were used to feed prisoners.
Additional produce from the 2024-2025 ploughing season included maize meal, sorghum, samp and cowpeas, all processed and supplied to prison kitchens.
In terms of finances, the Prisons was allocated P866.3 million for recurrent expenditure and P60.1 million for development projects in the 2025-2026 financial year.
By mid-March 2026, 95.7% of the recurrent budget had been utilised, while only 25.3% of the development budget had been spent.
Meanwhile, Ramaotwana has acknowledged the underperformance in development spending, attributing delays to contractor inefficiencies and financial constraints.
Several infrastructure projects, including refurbishments and farming developments, experienced setbacks, while others, such as public-private partnership initiatives and the refurbishment of Gaborone Central Prison, were not implemented at all due to limited funding.
However, some progress was recorded, including the completion of electrical works at Boro Prison, installation of standby generators in Serowe and Francistown, and procurement of three vehicles to improve operational efficiency.
Looking ahead, the minister proposed a recurrent budget of P906.7 million for the 2026-2027 financial year, reflecting a 4.7 percent increase, and a development budget of P38.52 million, representing a 35.9% reduction from the previous year.
The development budget will prioritise refurbishing prison facilities, investing in farming infrastructure to boost food security, and public-private partnership projects, such as a proposed rehabilitation centre in Lobatse, as well as the construction of headquarters and staff housing.
Ramaotwana urged Parliament to approve the proposed allocations, emphasising that the funding will support inmate welfare, rehabilitation programmes and operational efficiency.
As Botswana moves toward granting operational independence to its prison system, the issue of overcrowding remains a pressing concern, one that authorities must address to ensure that correctional facilities fulfil their dual mandate of secure custody and meaningful rehabilitation.