Khama’s land allocation motion haunts Ngwaketse Landboard
Several cases of duplicate allocations for single plots cause distress
Former President Ian Khama’s amended policy on the Tribal Act has come back to haunt Ngwaketse Landboard as it has caused conflicts through duplicate land allocations.
While the Landboard did not respond to enquiries including a questionnaire, a disgruntled resident of the Ngwaketse district who spoke on condition of anonymity, was left with egg on his face when he thought he had been allocated land but later learned that it was occupied.
The source explained that the Landboard had developed a system of making double allocations of plots in the area, which caused conflicts as someone would be confident that they have land, only to later learn that the plot is occupied, and be forced to re- apply or wait for a new allocation, which isn’t always guaranteed.
“I applied for a plot and was allocated a piece of land in Maisane settlement, but during the design stage, I realised that the Landboard has already allocated the land and it is occupied by someone.
“This caused misunderstanding between myself and the man occupying the piece of land. He however presented a certificate of ownership to ascertain that he had been allocated the plot procedurally from the Landboard so I don’t know how I was given the land. I engaged the Landboard and they promised to sort out the matter”.
He said he has since been taken from pillar to post and was just most recently informed that he might have to make a new application as there was a systematic error in the previous allocation.
There have been several concerns that the Ngwaketse Landboard has still continued to make duplicate allocations as some of the design and layout of plots that are given to new applicants who filed for plots recently are already taken.
The cause of contention emanates from the fact that some of the people that are allocated land in the area are previous squatters, who eight years ago, were beneficiaries of a land allocation scheme initiated by former President Ian Khama.
Some of them are previous squatters who resided in unallocated land around areas such as Maisane and Moreane, and when they were to be forcefully evicted, President Ian Khama pardoned them and promised to give them certificates as proof of ownership of the land.
The contention is whether these were officially filed as allocated land or stipulated under ‘ special allocation,’ because some of them are confident they were allocated the land and have certificates as proof but the plots are not designated as allocated at the Landboard, which continues to make recommendations to design and cut them for new applicants.
The source said there should have been an official declaration on the awarding of certificates to those who were previously squatters and the said plots struck off and confirmed to be taken.
“You are allocated a plot and later find out that it is occupied and you have to re- apply. Some of those people confidently say, Rona re beilwe ke rre Khama go lo fa, ( We were put here by President Khama) but then why is there no update on the allocations”?
In 2013, President Ian Khama announced a controversial quota system for tribal land allocation in the peri- urban villages in Botswana. He said that through the quota system, which turned out to be a controversial subject, there would be the preferential treatment given to Batswana in land allocations.
He also called for speedy allocations for those in dire need of land such as destitute, orphans, and squatters, as part of a social protection plan to protect the dignity and needs of the poor.
However, this motion of preferential allocation of land to Batswana, particularly the economically disadvantaged, was later rejected in Parliament as a Motion and in both attempts to include it as part of drafts on the Land Policies of 2014 and 2015.
Referenced media reports indicate that Parliamentarians at the time felt that the Policy was inconsistent with the Tribal Land Act and the Constitution of Botswana.
However, at the time President Khama insisted that it was a form of social justice and social protection as it protected Batswana, particularly those who find themselves with nowhere to live.
In 2015, the former President invoked his executive powers to have the policy implemented.