Naturalisation Isn't Handing Over Botswana To Foreigners

We carry in this issue a story about acquiring citizenship for Botswana. Yes, we agree that acquiring Botswana citizenship is often a difficult road that is full of hassles.

Even people who have lived in Botswana for many years and brought development and investment to the country, and lived lives that are above-board have found it nearly impossible to attain citizenship. The number of years, the anxious wait, is all too unbearable. We will not attempt to say how the government should conduct the business of granting citizenship. However ,it surely is necessary to review the process and see if it is moving with the times. We believe for example that the maximum of 200 applicants who acquire citizenship through naturalisation in a year is way too little a number.  On a yearly basis, hundreds of people apply for citizenship through naturaliSation, for various reasons. Some of these reasons are business, some social, some are for security. Many of the people who apply are skilled and will certainly bring much needed human resources into the country.  Countries around the world have come to appreciate the importance of awarding citizenship to deserving candidates. A number of reasons come to mind as to why we in Botswana should particularly be more willing to give citizenship to good fellows who want to become Batswana. We are not saying that Botswana should be handed over to foreigners, hence our use of 'deserving', as we are aware that some unscrupulous people would jump at the opportunity to get Botswana citizenship for their own greedy means. However while we are careful not to auction the country to foreigners, we need not be overly cautious, so much that we become self-defeating at the end of the day. For one, Botswana remains one of the countries in the world with the smallest populations. A huge country with a population smaller than most cities around the world. Our small population has disadvantaged us in many ways. Investors have simply not been interested. Others have simply wound up and gone to countries with bigger populations. We need to appreciate the fact that while it is good not to be overpopulated, it is equally a disadvantage to be less populated than is expected. We should be asking ourselves why countries such as the United States woo people on a yearly basis. Today, movie stars, software designers, world renowned scientists are found in the US. Many of them were originally non-Americans. Let not the idea that Botswana is Batswana's homeland cloud our judgment. Isn't that the same attitude that today denies many a young people land, while huge chunks of land remain unutiliSed because some people own it - even if they last used it 50 years back.

 

Editor's Comment
Congratulations Anicia Gaothuse!

The contest had 10 beautiful young girls as finalists and unfortunately only one could wear the crown.The judges picked Anicia Gaothuse. To all those who feel their contestant should have won ahead of Anicia for whatever reason, hardly; the judges found Anicia to be the best among the best, so desist from disrespecting our newly crowned queen on social media or anywhere else, for that matter! Each of the 10 beautiful young women had supporters...

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