09 Mar 2020

Community trusts in Maun have expressed desire to retain 100 per cent of income generated from wildlife in their areas.

In a statement after a week-long workshop, the community trusts suggested that they should be given mandate to manage wildlife issues. 

The workshop was organised by Ngamiland Council of Non-Governmental Organisations (NCONGO) with the community trusts.

A statement of the community trusts presented by Mr Mokadi Masedi of Habu Community Trust said they believed they could manage wildlife resources in their areas better and sustainably which would address some challenges such as poverty.

Mr Masedi said the trusts also required to be involved in decision making of wildlife management in their areas as hunting quotas and long term head leases.

They also wanted to retain 100 per cent of revenue raised from wildlife in their areas.

NCONGO executive director, Mr Siyoka Simasiku, said the workshop aimed at sharing regional and local experiences towards a more sustainable, equitable and profitable governance of wildlife.

Mr Simasiku said it was the desire of the community trusts to improve governance and involve other marginalised groups.

At end of the workshop, the community trusts engaged with the four members of parliament in the North West region on Saturday.

For his part, Maun West MP, Mr Dumelang Saleshando, encouraged community trusts to have a peer review strategy in place, adding that such strategy would help the community trusts to share experiences, challenges and targets that would help them improve organisations.

The legislator urged the community trusts to remember that leadership came with responsibilities, therefore they had to be accountable for whatever happened in their organisations.

He noted that unity was crucial in pursuit of their mandate, therefore organising a Community Based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM) Pitso must be one of their priorities.

The MP for Okavango, Mr Kenny Kapinga, said community trusts members must be trustworthy and shun abuse of their positions for self-enrichment.

Mr Kapinga warned community trusts members against active involvement in politics while in office.

On statement by the community trusts, Mr Kapinga pointed out that he did not support the suggestion that trusts should retain 100 per cent of income generated in their areas,.

 He said he would back the idea of contributing to the government so as to benefit from government coffers as well as enjoy royalties.

MP for Maun East, Mr Goretetse Kekgonegile was of the view that community trusts should review employing people on short contracts since organisations required long term employees for continuity.

Mr Kekgonegile also challenged community trusts to be prepared against corona virus which might affect movement of tourists.

And Ngami MP, Mr Caterpillar Hikuama said the mandate of community trusts as Civil Based Orgnisations (CBO) was to develop the communities.

However, Mr Hikuama said the trusts had a mammoth task to prove to the nation that they could be given autonomy and govern themselves since they had a bad reputation of looting resources.

Nonetheless, Mr Hikuama said the leadership was prepared to support the trusts since they were critical for socio-economic development. ENDs