Africa-Press – Botswana. In terms of catering for someone who has been identified as stateless, there is a provision for acquisition of citizenship by settlement, which allows the registration of persons who have been resident in Botswana for a continuous period of 20 years.
Section 6 of the Citizenship Act provides that a person who is not a citizen of any county, or has no right to any citizenship or nationality and has legally lived as a member of a particular community in Botswana for a continuous period of 20 years, shall on making a declaration in such form as may be prescribed, be entitled to be registered as a citizen of Botswana, Minister of Environment and Tourism, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi told Parliament on Monday.
Mr Mmolotsi, who answering a question on behalf of the Minister of Labour and Home Affairs, said the ministry was aware of individuals who were unable to renew their national identity cards (omang) due to inconsistencies in their parental details leading to questionable citizenship status.
He said these were people who deliberately provided false information to fraudulently acquire citizenship, and whenever, such persons presented their request to the ministry, thorough assessments were conducted to establish their citizenship status and whether they were stateless as alleged.
Mr Mmolotsi said those who had stayed in Botswana continuously for 20 years, might be considered for registration as citizens by the President under special circumstances in terms of the powers vested in him by Section 10 (b) of the Citizenship Act
He said considering the above provisions, non-citizens under various circumstances could have their citizenship status regularised after proper and authentic assessment had been made as the ministry undertook such an assessment from time to time or whenever such circumstances arose.
The minister was responding to Nkange MP, Mr Motlhaleemang Moalosi, who had asked if the minister was aware that a number of young adults have had their identity cards (omang) not renewed because of mistakes, errors or dishonesty by their parents when they were registered as children of Batswana by grandparents, aunts and uncles and if he was aware that most of the affected people grew up in Botswana with no relationship with any relative outside the country.
He also asked if the minister would consider offering the same people amnesty and give them citizenship to ease the suffering they were currently going through as stateless people.
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