MPs reject �selective� land policy

Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Thursday July 24, 2014 10:27

The policy returned to Parliament this week, after it failed in the October 2013 session, where MPs expressed their discomfort with the use of the word “indigenous” in clauses where the policy proposed to reserve land for people “indigenous” to each village.

In its latest version, “indigenous” has been replaced with “selective”, which MPs still think could fuel tribalism. Debating the policy this week, Tswapong North MP, Prince Maele said even though he felt that the policy was good, he could not support it because of paragraph 72 which stated that a quota of land would be reserved for “selected people”.

Maele called the paragraph “nothing but a recipe for disaster” as, he said, it would raise conflicts. He said the policy would create tribalism in Botswana. “What happened to equity? I can’t support this policy as long as this paragraph is included because it does not support equity. This will promote tribalism and this does not paint a good picture for our country which is known to be democratic and peaceful,” he said. Furthermore, Maele charged that the policy does not only promote tribalism but also tampers with human rights issues. He said not everyone who grows up in their home village wants to live there for the rest of their lives as some people may decide to migrate to other parts of the country for various reasons.

“This will not favour people who live far from towns as their efforts to get plots near the city could be futile when everyone wants to be near the city for greener pastures,” he said. For his part MP for Francistown South, Wynter Mmolotsi, said he was surprised that the Ministry of Lands and Housing wanted to re-establish the same policy that was cancelled by government.

He pointed out that land allocation delays in the land boards had forced individuals into buying plots for themselves. “Do we really have to punish a person who buys a piece of land when the land board has dragged on for years? There are over 10 000 people on a waiting list in Francistown and do you want to tell me that those who are waiting to be allocated can’t buy plots while on the waiting list?” he asked.

He also refused to support the policy saying it promotes tribalism, adding that Botswana could become like countries afflicted by civil wars over land.

The debate on the land policy comes months after President Ian Khama, in a kgotla meeting, told Bokaa residents that government was considering establishing a quota of land for residents of villages, particularly those close to cities.

MPs reject ‘selective’ land policy

NNASARETHA KGAMANYANE

Correspondent

 

 

Members of Parliament have expressed concern over the use of the word “selective” in the proposed Land Policy, which seeks to reserve land quotas in each village for original residents.

The policy returned to Parliament this week, after it failed in the October 2013 session, where MPs expressed their discomfort with the use of the word “indigenous” in clauses where the policy proposed to reserve land for people “indigenous” to each village.

In its latest version, “indigenous” has been replaced with “selective”, which MPs still think could fuel tribalism. Debating the policy this week, Tswapong North MP, Prince Maele said even though he felt that the policy was good, he could not support it because of paragraph 72 which stated that a quota of land would be reserved for “selected people”.

Maele called the paragraph “nothing but a recipe for disaster” as, he said, it would raise conflicts. He said the policy would create tribalism in Botswana. “What happened to equity? I can’t support this policy as long as this paragraph is included because it does not support equity. This will promote tribalism and this does not paint a good picture for our country which is known to be democratic and peaceful,” he said. Furthermore, Maele charged that the policy does not only promote tribalism but also tampers with human rights issues. He said not everyone who grows up in their home village wants to live there for the rest of their lives as some people may decide to migrate to other parts of the country for various reasons.

“This will not favour people who live far from towns as their efforts to get plots near the city could be futile when everyone wants to be near the city for greener pastures,” he said. For his part MP for Francistown South, Wynter Mmolotsi, said he was surprised that the Ministry of Lands and Housing wanted to re-establish the same policy that was cancelled by government.

He pointed out that land allocation delays in the land boards had forced individuals into buying plots for themselves. “Do we really have to punish a person who buys a piece of land when the land board has dragged on for years? There are over 10 000 people on a waiting list in Francistown and do you want to tell me that those who are waiting to be allocated can’t buy plots while on the waiting list?” he asked.

He also refused to support the policy saying it promotes tribalism, adding that Botswana could become like countries afflicted by civil wars over land.

The debate on the land policy comes months after President Ian Khama, in a kgotla meeting, told Bokaa residents that government was considering establishing a quota of land for residents of villages, particularly those close to cities.