Maun North Member of Parliament, Dumelang Saleshando, has expressed concern that the five-year development period attached to residential plots is placing undue pressure on residents, particularly unemployed youth, forcing many to sell their land prematurely.
Addressing residents of Senonnori Ward during a kgotla meeting on Wednesday, Saleshando said economic hardships and fear of repossession had made it difficult for many plot holders to meet the required development timelines. As a result, land that was meant to secure long-term stability for families was being sold for short-term survival.
He stressed that land remained one of the most valuable assets communities could own, noting that its value appreciated over time and should not be surrendered lightly. “People are selling land not because they want to, but because the system is pushing them,” he said.
Saleshando argued that existing land policies needed urgent review to align them with prevailing economic realities. He proposed that extending the five-year development window could ease pressure on beneficiaries and curb the increasing trend of plot sales across the country.
“For those of us who are employed, the five-year period is manageable. However, for the unemployed, especially the youth, it becomes a serious disadvantage that needs to be addressed,” he said.
Saleshando also warned residents against occupying or developing land that had not been officially allocated to them, stating that such actions were illegal and often resulted in financial losses when land boards enforced evictions. He assured the community that he would continue engaging the land board and other relevant authorities to fast-track plot allocation processes and resolve long-standing delays.
For his part, the former Boro/Senonnori councillor, Kenson Kgaga said many residents had viable business ideas they could operate from home but were unable to do so due to lack of residential land. He noted that delayed land allocation had become a major stumbling block to economic empowerment, financial independence and personal dignity.
Kgaga added that prolonged delays also deprived residents of a sense of belonging, leaving many feeling marginalized both economically and socially.
Meanwhile, a resident of Senonnori Serofo Molemi raised a complaint that some allocated plots are not serviced with water or electricity, yet beneficiaries are still expected to develop them within the stipulated timeframe.
He raised another complaint that some applicants have waited for plots for over a decade, during which their personal circumstances have changed. This long delay, he said, defeats the purpose of land allocation as a tool for early economic empowerment.
