The community of Kgagodi is celebrating a major victory after President Advocate Duma Boko announced the return of 10,000 hectares of land to the village under the Customary Land tenure system. The land had previously been taken from the community in 2023 through a Presidential Directive and earmarked for the development of a new township and airport project.
Despite a legal challenge launched by the Kgagodi community—on the grounds that the acquisition was both procedurally and legally flawed—the court ruled in favor of the government, upholding the compulsory acquisition. While the legal route did not succeed, the community’s persistence and determination have now yielded a political and moral victory.
Addressing residents at a packed kgotla meeting in Kgagodi yesterday, President Boko declared that the former administration’s directive would be overturned and the land restored to its rightful custodians.
“This land belongs to the people of Kgagodi, and it is only just that it is returned to them,” President Boko said. “The people must have the right to determine the future of their land and how it is used.”
The announcement was met with applause, cheers, and ululations from the crowd, many of whom had feared the land—and its ancestral and economic value—was lost forever.
Residents expressed gratitude for the President’s decision, which they see as a reaffirmation of their rights and the value of customary land systems in Botswana. The land in question holds cultural, historical, and agricultural significance to the Kgagodi community.
Local leaders have committed to engaging with residents in deciding the next steps for the land’s development, ensuring that it contributes meaningfully to the community’s growth and prosperity.
The restoration of the land marks a significant moment in Botswana’s ongoing dialogue around land governance, customary rights, and equitable development.
