- – Fauna Conservation Trust of Ngamiland cites broken promises by Tawana Land Board over Moremi Game Reserve’s ownership
- – Says Board failed to honour the agreed 70% concession lease payments
In a new development, the Fauna Conservation Trust of Ngamiland has threatened to take legal action against Tawana Land Board over reported broken promises regarding ownership of Moremi Game Reserve. Representing the tribe, the Trust is accusing the board of delaying action on the two parties’ agreement regarding the return of the reserve to Batawana and honouring agreed concession lease payments.
This followed after the board has agreed to return both the Moremi Game Reserve and the Maun Educational Park to the community at the directive of former President Mokgweetsi Masisi. On 8th September 2025, when unveiling the Trust to Maun residents, Kgosikgolo Tawana Moremi confirmed that government has already returned the Maun Educational Park to the Trust while handing over of Moremi Game Reserve awaits to be finalised.
“There were delays with handing over of Moremi Game Reserve due change of government to the new administration as well as the appointment of new Tawana Land Board members. We waited for them to settle in office and we will now start the process of the reserve being handed over to the Trust,” he stated.
According to the Trust’s director, Tiego Mpho, a benefit sharing agreement was reached by the two parties, allocating 70% of concession lease payments to the tribe and the balance of 30% retained by the board for administration purposes.
“In our last meeting of December 2025, the board represented by its chairperson promised to honour the 70% concession lease payments within 10 days. We expected the payments to have been made by mid-January 2026 but that did not happen,” Mpho revealed in an interview.
He noted that the board would then in February 2026 make an enquiry if the Trust has a bank account where they can process the payments but Mpho stated even after sharing the details with them, they haven’t received any thebe until now.
“The board said they were communicating with their parent ministry of land and agriculture and awaiting feedback, but they never came or wrote anything to tell us what is going on until now,” revealed Mpho.
However, Mpho accused the board of being dishonest with the trust with regards to the communication it has been having with the ministry. “Our, believe all along is that they been communicating with the ministry regarding our discussions and agreements. If indeed they have been doing so, we don’t know what was the feedback from the ministry because they have never written us a letter to explain why things appear jammed or no action being taken,” he added.
Mpho stated after the board indicated that they were awaiting feedback from the ministry, there has been a blackout in terms of communication from their side, hence the decision to escalate the issue to their lawyers.
“We have seen that maybe we should go the litigation route. So, we have since engaged our lawyers who have written to the land board and we are awaiting for them to reply that letter,” he revealed.
The director concluded, “Kgosi Tawana was patient with them when he said that it’s the new government let’s give them time. But finally, he discovered that the board has been playing games with us because the minister appears not to be knowing anything.”
Meanwhile, Mpho has revealed that officials from the Ministry of Environment and Tourism have communicated plans to meet with tribe leadership to discuss issues surrounding both Moremi Game Reserve and Maun Educational Park. This publication is awaiting response from Tawana Land Board officials.
