Botswana approves land restitution roadmap for Central Kalahari
Botswana's government has approved a roadmap to restore land to San communities in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. The plan would enable the San to return and obtain legally recognised land titles, with Justice Minister Nelson Ramaotwana saying legal protections will be established before the 2029 elections. The move follows a 2006 High Court ruling that Roy Sesana and other San applicants were unlawfully deprived of their land, and it addresses relocations that began in the 1990s after the reserve was created in 1961.
Key facts
- Roy Sesana, a San leader, was among the plaintiffs in the 2006 High Court case.
- Relocations of San residents from the reserve began in the early 1990s.
- Legal protections are targeted to be in place before the 2029 national elections.
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Why it matters
Restoring land could empower indigenous groups and influence the 2029 election.
What changed
First published from Mongabay