Dual citizenship legislation gathers pace
The Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2020 has finally beeen tabled before Parliament and the Member of Parliament (MP) for SelibePhikwe West, Dithapelo Keorapetse has called on the government to consider “Batswana to hold dual citizenship which is currently outlawed in Botswana.”
Debating the amendment of the Citizenship Act in Parliament recently, Keorapetse said dual citizenship is overdue and children reaching 18 years should remain Batswana even if they do not renounce other citizenships at age 18 or 21 years as a default position.
The Bill amongst others proposes to amend Section 15 of the Citizenship Act, which makes provision for dual citizenship up to the age of 21. It is proposed that Sections 9 and 15 of the Citizenship Act be amended by substituting the words 21 years with 18 years so that the provisions are consistent with the age of majority which has been reduced from 21 years to 18 years.
In December 2019, Parliament adopted a motion requesting the Ministry of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs to amend the Citizenship Act to make it a default position that one retains the Botswana citizen unless they specifically renounce it. With the current Act, any person with dual citizenship automatically ceases to be a citizen of Botswana unless they renounce the other nationality upon reaching the age of 21 years.
“Let it be possible for one to hold dual citizenship. The time has come for the country’s economy to benefit something from the immigration policy. Dual citizenship should be used to advance the country’s economy and to raise national flag through giving citizenship to people with extraordinary abilities or acclaim like sports persons, creative artists, executives to mention but a few,” he said.
The legislator further stated that government has spent a lot of money paying tuition to its citizens who were studying out of the country who have later decided not to return home. He said such people have renounced Botswana citizenship but such people should have been allowed to hold dual citizenship.
“Let’s have a law similar to Israel’s law of return for all Batswana who are now citizens of other countries but wish to return to Botswana. We have the Fergusons, who are currently controlling the South African entertainment industry despite having been born in Botswana. Such people with extraordinary abilities should hold dual citizenship and forever remain citizens of Botswana,” Keorapetse said.
Furthermore, Keorapetse raised a concern over foreigners who have been in Botswana for decades and productive but struggling to get citizenship. He pleaded with the Minister of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs, Annah Mokgethi to pay attention to the issue because it seems like corruption is rampant in her ministry.
“Some people have been in Botswana for 18-20 years as productive residents but have been struggling to get citizenship despite being the country’s asserts whilst some have obtained citizenship within five years. We suspect that there is corruption in your office. Please attend to the issue of arbitrary colonial and artificial borders because it is evident that people living along the borders might have their parents coming from both countries. Please attend to immigration issues to make life easier for the people living along the borders,” pleaded Keorapetse.
Furthermore, the new Bill seeks to amend sections of the Citizenship Act to align with the age of majority set out in the Interpretation Act, which reduced the age of majority from 21 years to 18 years following an amendment by Parliament back in 2010. The Bill also proposes to amend Section 9 of the Citizenship Act, which makes provision for registration of persons under the age of 21 as citizens where the father or mother of such person has become a citizen of Botswana through naturalisation.