"We have not been able to find records showing the number of people who were declared prohibited immigrants for the period September 1966 to March 1980," Batshu said yesterday. "I wish to point out that a majority of the people above were declared prohibited immigrants in terms of the Immigration Act for having been sentenced to imprisonment without the option of a fine while others were declared prohibited immigrant in consequence of information which is adverse to the security of the state received from reliable sources," he explained.
Batshu was answering a question from Lobatse MP Nehemiah Modubule who wanted to know the number of foreigners declared prohibited immigrants in Botswana for the periods of September 1966 to March 2008 and April 2008 to December 2012. When his explanations failed to convince Modubule, Batshu told the MP that he would provide answers outside Parliament. Yesterday, Batshu indicated in parliamentary questions and answers given to journalists that from April 1980 to December 2012, 1,778 persons were declared prohibited immigrants.
