07 Aug 2025

Parliament has passed into law the Community-Based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM) Bill, 2025, after a third reading and incorporation of several key amendments. 

The bill, tabled by the Minister of Environment and Tourism, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi, was supported by 22 MPs, with three voting against and one abstention. The CBNRM Bill seeks to formalise and strengthen the community based approach to the sustainable use and conservation of natural and cultural resources. 

It provides a legal framework for communities to manage their local natural assets, including wildlife and heritage sites, under regulated governance structures. Key amendments to the CBNRM Bill included one by Okavango West MP, Mr Kenny Kapinga, who proposed an amendment to Clause 23(2), adding the phrase “in the interest of the public to do so” to clarify when proceedings may be initiated. 

Okavango East MP, Mr Gabatsholwe Disho, successfully proposed several changes to Clause 24(3), including, election of the Technical Advisory Committee chairperson by its members, inclusion of a requirement for members to have at least two years’ managerial experience and addition of two representatives from registered Community-Based Organisations (CBOs). 

Minister Mmolotsi moved an amendment to Clause 25 to replace the words ‘conduct’ and ‘assess’ with ‘oversee’ in several subparagraphs, emphasising a supervisory role for key actors. At Clause 29, another amendment introduced a mechanism for handling misappropriated CBO funds, requiring a temporary holding bank account with oversight from the Technical Advisory Committee and District Commissioner. 

Clause 35 was amended to state that trust property under the Trust Property Control Act or any equivalent body will remain vested in the CBO and be managed by its Board in accordance with the Act, still proposed by Minister Mmolotsi. One of MP Disho’s proposals, to allow tie-breaking decisions of the Technical Advisory Committee to be referred to the National Board, was rejected. Minister Mmolotsi, supported by Nata/Gweta MP Mr Lawrence Ookeditse, argued that such a referral would cause unnecessary delays in decision-making. 

In another development, Parliament also passed the Forest and Range Resources Bill, 2025, also tabled by Minister Mmolotsi. The bill provides for establishment of the Department of Forestry and Range Resources and sets out the legal framework for sustainable management of forest and range ecosystems. It passed with 23 MPs in favour, four against, and one abstention. 

Notable amendments to the Forest Bill include one by MP Disho, which proposed an amendment to Clause 11, changing sub-paragraph (f) to ensure inclusion of an academic representative from the environmental or land management field who is also a community representative. 

Chobe MP, Mr Simasiku Mapulanga proposed several successful amendments, including, Clause 22, which was updated to include the phrase “in consultation with the community” regarding management decisions. Clause 35 was amended to reduce penalties for non-reporting from P1 million and 10 years’ imprisonment to a maximum of P10,000 and five years, or both. 

Mr Mmolotsi also made clarifying amendments, replacing ‘agricultural’ with ‘natural’ in Clause 13(2), changing ‘person’ to ‘citizen’ in Clause 58(2) to ensure that benefits targeted Batswana, as well as correcting a typographical error in Clause 58(4), replacing ‘generic’ with ‘genetic’. 

Nevertheless, there was a rejected amendment proposal suggested by MP Mapulanga’s to amend Clause 27 to exempt individuals from requiring permits for activities on communal land (except in their own fields or ranches). He had argued that permit requirements would impose unnecessary financial burdens on local communities. However, Mr Mmolotsi defended the current clause, emphasising the importance of regulation for conservation and sustainable use. 

Sometime during the debate in the past week, Mr Mmolotsi had said the passage of both bills would mark a significant step in Botswana’s efforts to enhance community participation in natural resource management, while establishing robust governance frameworks to ensure sustainability and accountability ENDS