02 Aug 2020

Member of Parliament for Selebi Phikwe East, Mr Kgoberego Nkawana on Friday tabled a motion at the National Assembly requesting government to consider re-arming the Department of Wildlife and National Parks within the Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism in order for them to effectively carry out anti-poaching duties.

Providing motivation for his motion, Mr Nkawana said disarming the Anti-Poaching Unit had contributed to the alarming increase in cases of poaching.

He argued that  there were four camps of the Anti-Poaching Unit that were established at Kasane, Lone Tree, Mathathane and Maun, with requisite staff to deal with poaching, but since the disarmament of the said officers, they were sitting idle.

Mr Nkawana further argued that there used to be a smaller intelligence unit within the department that was capable of infiltrating poachers and was aware of what the poachers were up to or had planned; hence they were always alert and able to deal with them.

“This greatly minimised poaching. The surge in poaching of rhinos and other species that we are currently experiencing would not be there if the officers were armed,” he said.

The motion was met with a mixed response from MPs, with the Minister of Environment, Natural Resources, Conservation and Tourism, Ms Philda Kereng stating that the motion was unnecessary as her ministry was already working on a comprehensive legal framework review that would improve anti-poaching efforts.

Ramotswa legislator, Minister of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security, Mr Lefoko Moagi agreed with Ms Kereng that the challenge of poaching needed a holistic response that was well coordinated, given the complexity of the challenge.

“If we only look at the ammunition and not the other elements, we would not be providing a solution. Poachers engage in tracking, they use night vision lighting equipment, they use other avenues, and the department needs to be empowered to have a holistic approach to combat poaching,” Mr Moagi said.

Sefhare-Ramokgonami MP, Dr Kesitegile Gobotswang and Okavango legislator, Mr Kenny Kapinga on the other hand rose to support Mr Nkawana’s motion.

Dr Gobotswang said the planned restructuring of the Department of Wildlife and National Parks was a medium to long term strategy that could be augmented by the arming of the Anti-Poaching Unit in the short term to deal with the current reality of an exponential increase in cases of poaching.

Mr Kapinga on the other hand said the disarming of the Department of Wildlife and National Parks’ Anti-Poaching Unit had been carried out based on the notion that the department was not legally permitted to carry automated firearms, leading to the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) usurping anti-poaching responsibility. 

However, Mr Kapinga said Section 73 (3) of the Wildlife, Conservation and National Parks Act already provides for the Department of Wildlife and National Parks to utilise different types of firearms. 

He cited the clause as reading thus, ‘a wildlife officer may carry a firearm, and where the director so directs, such firearm may be of a type not otherwise permitted under the Arms and Ammunition Act.”  Ends