Botswana to restore indigenous peoples’ rights
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Monday October 19, 2026 06:00
Botswana has embarked on a process to recognise indigenous communities, address historical injustices and restore their rights, it has been revealed.
Already, government is adopting a roadmap to guide restitution efforts in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR).
Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Nelson Ramaotwana, explained the developments mark a significant departure from the previous administration’s position that all citizens were indigenous.
However, the Botswana Democratic Party government did not recognise specific ethnic groups as indigenous to the country.
Ramaotwana said the change follows the peaceful transfer of power in November 2024, when the new administration began addressing longstanding concerns affecting indigenous communities.
He revealed the developments when addressing the 89th session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights recently in Senegal.
The minister was speaking under the theme, ‘Advancing Indigenous Peoples’ Rights in the African Region: From Recognition to Implementation.’
In his address, Ramaotwana said the government has initiated measures to restore dignity, promote participation and develop sustainable solutions for communities that had historically experienced marginalisation.
He revealed that one of the immediate measures was the removal of administrative and legal barriers that had prevented the fulfilment of Pitseng Gaoberekwe’s wish to be buried on his ancestral land in the CKGR.
Gaoberekwe was buried in 2024 despite having had died in 2021. He was not initially buried as he had wanted the CKGR to be his last resting place as per the culture and the then government could not entertain his wish.
A fight between government and Gaoberekwe’s family ensured after officials denied them the wish to bury their father at CKGR.
Ramaotwana said government subsequently established an inter-ministerial committee to assess the circumstances of indigenous communities and recommend appropriate interventions.
“The committee, appointed by President Duma Boko on February 7, 2025, is chaired by Ramaotwana and tasked with advising government on sustainable solutions that respect indigenous peoples’ rights, cultures and dignity,” he revealed.
Furthermore, he said the committee conducted extensive consultations with indigenous communities to understand their concerns and identify possible remedies.
However, Ramaotwana said the process was interrupted by the country’s economic difficulties, with some of the final consultations receiving donor support.
Despite these constraints, he noted government has moved to incorporate indigenous communities’ concerns into national development planning.
Additionally, the minister said indigenous peoples participated in the development of the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme, which informed the government’s first National Development Plan 12 (NDP 12).
Passed by Parliament in November 2025, he highlighted the five-year development plan includes a human rights chapter addressing indigenous communities’ demands for redress.
Amongst its commitments, he said is raising awareness of contemporary human rights, recognising indigenous peoples in Botswana and establishing formal mechanisms to ensure their meaningful participation in development processes.
Additionally, the minister said the plan proposes establishing an office within the Presidency specifically mandated to translate political commitment into practical and sustainable improvements of indigenous communities’ lives.
In a further milestone, Ramaotwana revealed President Boko approved the CKGR Integrated Roadmap on September 15, 2026, providing a structured pathway towards restitution.
He said the roadmap was developed following consultations conducted by the inter-ministerial committee in five inhabited settlements within the reserve and resettlement communities outside it.
Ramaotwana stated that the document translates the committee’s findings into a four-phase programme of action designed to be time-bound and financially implementable.
Importantly, he said its implementation will be guided by dialogue and the principle of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), which emphasises the participation of indigenous communities in decisions affecting their lives and territories.
He said government had also commenced the process of ratifying International Labour Organisation Convention No. 169 on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples, signalling a further step towards strengthening protections for indigenous communities.
Nevertheless, Ramaotwana acknowledged that significant challenges remained, warning that decades of socioeconomic marginalisation could not be reversed overnight.
However, communities in remote areas continue to face difficulties accessing clean water, quality healthcare, education and administrative services.
Geographic isolation and the high cost of delivering public services across vast distances have further complicated efforts to address these inequalities.
Also limited public understanding of indigenous peoples’ rights continues to fuel debate over the recognition and status of indigenous communities in Botswana.
Government, he said, would need to review existing policies and programmes to ensure that indigenous peoples were deliberately included in development initiatives, while future policies upheld equality, participation and respect for cultural identity.
The country’s fiscal constraints also threaten to slow the implementation of planned consultations and programmes.
Beyond domestic reforms, Ramaotwana acknowledged the role of indigenous peoples’ representatives in calling for Botswana’s leadership in advancing indigenous rights across Africa.
He said Boko accepted their request in March 2026 to provide high-level political leadership and visibility to issues affecting indigenous communities on the continent.
The commitment, Ramaotwana noted, reflected the President’s dedication to human rights, particularly for communities that have historically faced marginalisation and denial of their rights.