Botswana government approves land restitution roadmap for Indigenous San

The government of Botswana approved a land restitution roadmap in September 2026 to return Indigenous San communities to their ancestral lands in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve.

The move follows decades of forced relocations that began in the 1990s. Although a 2006 High Court ruling favored San applicants like Roy Sesana, it did not grant broad land rights to the wider community.

The current administration, led by President Duma Boko, established an interministerial committee in March 2025 to address these grievances. This committee is now working to establish legal protections for the San people before the national elections in 2029. The proposed roadmap includes a four-phase process to grant the San legally recognized land rights while maintaining the protected status of the reserve.

The government plans to develop a co-management system where the San people can participate in conservation and local economic activities. Justice Minister Nelson Ramaotwana stated that the administration intends to provide the communities with training in wildlife management and ensure they receive a share of tourism revenues. Several questions remain regarding the specific legal framework for this restitution.

The government is still determining whether the San will hold land rights individually or collectively and which specific laws, such as the Tribal Land Act, require amendment. Officials aim to create a permanent legal instrument, possibly through constitutional review, to ensure that future governments cannot reverse these land rights.