Moremi fights for inheritance
Staff Writer | Friday June 24, 2016 17:18
Chief’s Island, which stretches 70 kilometres long and 15 kilometres wide, is so named (Moremi) because it was once the sole hunting preserve of Kgosi Mathiba, Kgosi Tawana II’s forefather.
Tawana explained that the land is his inheritance and he is determined to fight for it along with the other parts of the reserve owned by the community.
Batawana are expected to issue a statutory notice to government on intention to sue over the ownership of Moremi Game Reserve.
Tawana refuted claims that he is using the ‘Moremi’ name and the community to settle his claim over the Chief’s Island. He said that with or without the community he would fight to reclaim Chief’s Island. He said he does not feel conflicted on the issue, saying he is responsible for fighting for the land rights of the people, as their traditional leader. He said that the main reason why he left bogosi for politics was to fight the land rights of the people in the district.
He accused government of taking the community land through the Land Board and handing it over to rich and wealthy tourism operators.
Tawana, who feels he made little impact in Parliament advocating for the people’s land, said the House has no influence.
Asked if he has a personal vendetta against President Ian Khama, Tawana said that he has nothing against him.
Tawana added that his criticism of the President has to do with the fact that Khama is head of the government. He explained that Khama taught him (Tawana) to be a man of principles, adding that the President was more principled during his army days than after he joined politics.
He explained that, around 1996, he (Tawana) had wanted to join the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) as an officer cadet, but was told by the recruiters that he was not medically fit for the military service.
Moremi said that he went to Khama seeking his aid and thinking that as a BDF commander he would pursue the BDF recruiters to employ him. Tawana said that Khama instead told him he never bends the rules.
“He taught me a principle that rules should be obeyed and that one should never enter through a window. Khama told me that the recruiters informed him that they could not recruit me as I had little time left to live. I got scared,” he said.
Tawana said that he was, however, surprised by the changes in Khama after he joined politics.
“I became surprised when he bent the rules to fly the BDF aircraft after leaving the army,” he said.
The Moremi Game Reserve was established in 1963 by Batawana, who handed the land to government to take care of its administration and management in 1979.
Today Chief’s Island, home to Wilderness Safaris’ famed Mombo Camp located in the Mombo Concession of the reserve, is said to be a ‘predator capital of Africa’ and is a mecca for international tourists.
Wilderness Safaris, a leading eco-tourism company, operates prime exclusive camps in the reserve, which comprises of stunning landscape of forests, lagoons and islands that teem with wildlife.