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Nqobile Bhebhe in Maun, Botswana

BOTSWANA Environment and tourism minister Dumezweni Mthimkhulu has said former President Ian Khama who is accused of working tirelessly with powerful international anti-hunting lobby groups in the United Kingdom to effect a ban on trophy hunting is turning his back on the people he once led.

Botswana Environment and tourism minister Dumezweni Mthimkhulu

President Khama who imposed a ban on trophy hunting during his time in office has come under attack from wildlife communities in Botswana and the Sadc region who feel that the former leader’s actions are misguided and counterproductive to the millions of people who survive on wildlife consumptive tourism.

Briefing  Sadc journalists drawn from Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa  yesterday, Mr Mthimkhulu raised concern  about the former president working against the Batswana national interests.

“Why is he lobbying for the trophy hunting ban which brings earnings to local communities, creates employment and brings income for the Batswana?” asked minister Mtthimkhulu.

He added,  “Khama has a heavy interest in non-consumptive tourism. We used to hold him in high esteem, hold him like a deity but now he is working against the Batswana national interest and that of the region.

“He is being harboured by South Africa and his actions will destroy their tourism industry just like ours.”

Botswana Wildlife Producers Association (BWPA) also lashed out at former President Khama for ignoring the role that hunting plays in supporting communities living with wildlife.

“The BWPA notes with concern the involvement of former President Ian Khama Sereste Khama and other international celebrities, in the proposed Hunting Trophies (Importation Prohibition) Bill to ban the importation of hunting trophies into the UK,” read a statement from the organisation.

The organisation which represents close to 80 percent of the game ranch owners and all hunting operators said the former President, and other international celebrities, in their support to ban hunting in Africa “are ignoring the role that hunting plays in supporting communities living with wildlife especially employment of unskilled rural people, the role it plays in promoting coexistence by providing tangible incentives, the role it plays as sustainability toll in conserving large sections of marginal wildlife areas and the employment it creates.”

BWPA added that it acknowledges the right  of former President Khama to dislike hunting but regrets the fact that Khama is imposing his own personal views to the detriment of the people of Botswana.

“The hunting ban that was imposed on the people of Botswana without  consultation in 2013 resulted in unprecedented increase in the levels of bush meat trade in parts of the Okavango Delta, it resulted in reporting high levels of elephant poaching during the dry season.”