In his debate at the Ntlo Ya Dikgosi (NYD), he said there seems to be too much government control of institutions in Botswana, with a number of them operating under the control of ministries. He was responding during the second reading of the Land Tribunal Bill of 2013 at the opening of the 13th meeting of the second NYD yesterday.
The bill, referred to the NYD for further consultation, seeks to re-establish the Land Tribunal through an Act of Parliament, in order to expand its mandate to hear appeals in accordance with the provisions of both the Tribal Land Act and the Town and Country Planning Act. Currently, the two Land Tribunals, which were established by a ministerial order under the Tribal Land Act, can only hear appeals from land boards, while appeals under the Town and Country Planning Act were heard before the minister. The bill proposes the establishment of one Land Tribunal, to be headed by a Chief Land Tribunal President, which shall have divisions that may be set up around the country as the government deems appropriate.
