Khama shoots down Kasane railway proposal

Thalefang Charles | Thursday December 1, 2016 16:44

Khama made the announcement during a media briefing at the ongoing Botswana Travel and Tourism Expo (BTTE) in Kasane on Tuesday.

“It is not the best idea. But we would see how BR goes about demonstrating the environmental impact of the project. They would have to pull a rabbit out of the hat to achieve a minimal environmental impact for such a project,” said Khama

The minister said the railway line could affect the animal migration in the Chobe and dissect the Kavango Zambezi Transfronteir Conservation Area (KAZA). KAZA spans five southern African countries; Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. One of the agreements of KAZA is “to promote and facilitate the development of a complementary and linked network of protected areas that protect wildlife and provide and restore dispersal corridors and migratory routes.”

The proposed railway would cut Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park from the Chobe and Makgadikgadi Pans.

Minister Khama noted that the railway is unlike road that is easy for animals to cross. He said that it would cut the migration of animals because most animals cannot easily cross the railway.

BR announced their railway line plans in December 2015 with an aim to link Botswana with central and east African countries to cater for the demands of cargo transportation in the region.

BR was taking advantage of the existing Kazungula Bridge project that would have a provision of a railway line to be constructed underneath the bridge.

Currently the railway network extends only up to Sowa Town in Makgadikgadi Pans.