Africa-Press – Botswana. A coalition of 49 community trusts from across Botswana has rejected key clauses in the proposed CBNRM Bill 2025 and are urging Parliament to amend it in a way that protects community rights and upholds local governance.
A coalition of 49 Community-Based Organisations (CBOs) from across Botswana has strongly rejected several provisions of the proposed Community-Based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM) Bill, 2025, warning that it threatens to undo decades of progress in grassroots conservation and community empowerment.
The CBOs, under the coordination of the Ngamiland Council of NGOs (NCONGO), have submitted a joint statement to Parliament during its ongoing Winter Session, raising alarm about the Bill’s potential to erode community control over natural resource governance.
Aspirations and lived experiences
Said the Board Chairperson of NCONGO, Taboka Rotsi: “This Bill, in its current form, fails to reflect the aspirations and lived experiences of communities that have been at the forefront of sustainable conservation. We urge Parliament to amend it in a way that protects community rights and upholds local governance.”
Among the most contentious provisions is Article 29, which proposes that District Commissioners serve as principal signatories to community trust accounts. The CBOs argue this will strip them of financial autonomy and create bureaucratic bottlenecks.
Their submission reads: “Community trusts have managed their funds transparently for years. This proposal is not only regressive but also undermines trust in our systems.”
CBO concerns
Other concerns include limited community representation on the proposed National CBNRM Board, with only two seats reserved for community voices. CBOs are demanding at least five.
Excessive control by the Director of Wildlife and National Parks, which includes the power to appoint or remove CBO board members; lack of a re-registration process for deregistered CBOs, threatening continuity; and micromanagement by technical advisory committees, particularly in procurement and land-use decisions, are among other issues.
But rather than oppose the Bill outright, the coalition is offering alternatives. Notably, they propose creation of a Botswana National CBNRM Association to oversee governance, registration, and sustainable development within the sector.
Alternatives
“Our goal is not just conservation – it is livelihoods,” said the Manager of the Mababe Zokotsama Trust, Vusi Khumalo. “Communities must remain at the centre of resource management, especially in regions burdened by human-wildlife conflict.”
The statement is backed by high-profile trusts, including Khwai, Okavango, Chobe Enclave, and Sankoyo, representing communities from every corner of Botswana.
Tourism minister Wynter Mmolotsi has acknowledged the concerns and assured the media that further consultations with community trusts will be held.
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