21 Jul 2024

Dikgosi in Okavango area hailed Tawana Land Board for engaging them on the proposed land allocation policy review as instrumental figures in  land matters. This was said  during a consultative meeting in Gumare recently. 

In an interview on the matter, Kgosi Divera Ndando of Gudigwa expressed gratitude that Tawana Land Board recognised thier role in la nd matters. 

Kgosi Ndado said although he agreed with most proposed changes, he however did not agree with the proposed regulation that denied communities to bury deceased family members at a place of their choice except designated graveyards saying people had different cultures which should be respected.

Kgosi Mwakaupi Seemeko of Etsha 6 said the proposed policy was an eye opener on the right procedure to follow when people were not content with land board decisions.

Kgosi Seemeko also said that Batswana had a right to bury their loved ones wherever they deemed fit.Kgosi Kebonyetsala Fish of Nokaneng on one hand said that the guideline that called for a reduction of ploughing field from 25 hectares to between one and nine hectares was not desirable.

He said that regulations for ploughing fields should not ne changed since Batswana were now taking farming seriously and some ploughed for commercial purposes.

Tawana Land Board chairperson, Ms Reamogetse Yakenge said the consultations were prompted by Tribal Act of 2018 which gave land boards the right to craft their own policies which would guide them to administer land accordingly.

Ms Yakenge said the land board also had a task to harmonise the Tribal Land Act of 2018 which was implemented in 2022, with the revised Botswana land policy of 2019.She said that the Okavango District was unique with rich natural resources therefore, required a policy that catered for such, to help with proper management of resources for future generations.

The land board respects consultations with dikgosi as custodians of the communities and would later engage district councils, said Ms Yakenge and added that because land was a scarce resource, government introduced the one plot policy in the tribal Land. ENDS