Africa-Press – Botswana. The government, through the Botswana Housing Corporation (BHC), has significantly increased its efforts to provide 100,000 houses for citizens with the official launch of the ambitious Bonno National Housing Programme.
The programme, initially launched in March in Mabutsane village, gained further momentum this Tuesday with President Duma Boko officiating the groundbreaking ceremony for new housing units in Gaborone West’s Kgale View location.
Speaking at the ceremony, President Boko reaffirmed the government’s commitment to property ownership for all citizens, stating that by the end of the nationwide Bonno Housing Project, at least 100,000 Batswana would possess title deeds. “We want to afford every Motswana the opportunity to own real property. This country is going to look spectacularly great in the next three years. We want to afford every citizen an opportunity to own real property, not just shelter,” said Boko.
The Bonno initiative begins with the construction of 3,000 housing units in its initial rollout. However, the plan is to allocate each constituency 1,000 houses, totaling 61,000 houses during the first phase, which is expected to commence on June 20th, 2025. The second phase will follow on September 16th, 2024, with the aim of completing all 100,000 houses within a 24-month period.
“By the stipulated time, contractors should be at various constituencies kick-starting this project. In most cases, the availability of land is always a challenge, but we will never give up until we see this project being successful. The advantages of this project are that it is going to inject P3 billion into the economy and create 30,000 indirect and direct jobs during the period,” said Minister of Water and Human Settlement, Onneetse Ramogapi. He emphasised that the housing programme includes a minimum wage, with an agreement that all workers in the project should earn a minimum of P4,000.
Under the Bonno National Housing Programme, several schemes will be available for Batswana to apply for based on their qualifications. These include an Integrated Poverty Alleviation scheme for self-employed citizens, a social housing scheme targeting the most vulnerable members of society, the Bonno Turnkey housing scheme designed for those earning between P4,400 and P95,000, the Bonno Home Loan improvement scheme to assist in renovating existing houses, a scheme for individuals in the D4 income bracket earning between P95,000 and P282,120 per annum, and the rent-to-buy housing scheme, among others.
“The implementation of Low-Income Housing Programmes encountered several significant challenges that need to be addressed to meet the growing demand for affordable housing. These include limited land availability, particularly in urban areas where demand for housing is highest; the exclusion of certain income groups who fall just outside the qualifying income brackets, leaving many citizens without viable housing solutions, especially lower-middle-income families,” said Ramogapi. He added that the revamp is motivated by de-stigmatising the low-income housing programme.
With access to shelter being a fundamental human right, the government has revamped the Low-Income Housing Programme to the Bonno National Housing Programme in a bid to expand access to affordable and dignified homes.
So far, 668 beneficiaries have received housing under the initiative, while 213 units are still under construction. The programme also prioritises modern designs, inclusivity, and strategic partnerships to ensure long-term sustainability.
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