28 Sep 2020

An official of Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (BUAN), Dr Davis Marumo has implored Chobe Enclave Community Trust (CECT) to soldier on regardless of the challenges because victory did not come to those who waited.

Officiating at the trust’s annual general meeting recently in Kavimba, he said COVID-19 was one of the challenges to CECT whose revenue generation was dependent on tourism.

He said the other challenge was the problem of human/wildlife conflict.

He expressed optimism that the completion of the CH1 land use management plan in March 2021 would optimise the trust’s revenue generation.

Dr Marumo noted that the signing of a memorandum of agreement between CECT and Salambala in Namibia on trans-boundary issues was a right step towards conservation and improving the livelihoods of people in the two countries.

He said the annual audit of CECT financials indicated a high level of accountability and transparency on the trust.

CECT manager, Mr Moses Sinchembe said in line with Vision 2036’s prosperity for all, CECT decided to incorporate all its activities within the vision and strived for prosperity for all residents of Chobe Enclave.

He said the trust has 33 permanent employees of which 31 were members of the Chobe community.

He said Ngoma Lodge and Linyanti Bush Camps, who had partnered with CECT, had employed 92 people on permanent basis from the Chobe Enclave area.

Mr Sinchembe said CECT has 10 vacancies for escort guides that would be employed at the commencement of the hunting season.

He noted tha the trust had five vehicles, general dealer and eight tractors, planters and other ploughing equipment which were distributed in the enclave villages.

He said for the 2019/2020 ploughing season, the trust ploughed over 477 hectares for 207 people.

He said to augment the trust’s income generation, CECT had other projects such as brick molding projects in three villages, a general dealer, grinding mill in Parakarungu, tractors and equipment for hire. He noted that tractors generated more revenue compared to other projects.

CECT accountant, Ms Chaze Sinvula said CECT’s income for 2019 was P5 145 226 against the anticipated income of P5 178 210 which translated to a positive variance while actual expenditure for the same period was P4 685 600.

She explained that from the remaining P492 610 each village in the enclave would get P98 522.

For his part, the chairperson of CECT, Mr Poniso Shamukuni explained that due to COVID-19 they had to delay the AGM in compliance with health protocol. He noted that CECT was unable to host all those who had wished to participate in the meeting.

He said CECT engaged BUAN consultants to help them come up with land use management plan for CH1 as the current one was overtaken by developments in the area.

Other challenges posed by COVID-19, he said, were that bilateral agreements were not updated as borders were closed and CECT revenue dropped as partners in the tourism sector were affected. ENDS