Gov't To Review Wildlife Damage Compensation
Innocent Selatlhwa | Monday November 12, 2018 13:40
It also wanted government to consider compensation and payment of medical bills for people killed or injured by wild animals.
Mokgware pleaded with his colleagues to support the motion citing that people are left impoverished as what they are given as compensation is too low compared to what they lost.
He said at times children of those who were killed by wildlife are left in the lurch after losing breadwinners.
First to respond to the motion was the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Conservation and Tourism, Tshekedi Khama. The Minister was quick to point out that his ministry was undertaking the review.
“We are currently working on the review even though we are lagging behind. It is not an easy task as currently we use the budget allocated to the Ministry and we need to determine how the compensations are budgeted for. It is also complex as you cannot put a price to the value of life,” he said.
Khama said they expect the review to be concluded by next March and called on Mokgware to hold on to the motion until then. All those who stood to speak supported the motion. The Leader of Opposition, Duma Boko said it was important to make the review to avoid having cases going to court.
“There is no doubt that the motion is urgent. There is need to fully compensate those who lose livestock to wild animals,” Boko said. “We should not just look at a cow’s cost price; we should look at the fact that, that cow would give birth to many more and we should consider that.”
Nata-Gweta legislator, Polson Majaga thanked Mokgware for the motion. Majaga whose constituency has recorded many cases of human/wildlife conflict said he had long called for a policy to help victims.
He said a lot of people lost their lives while many others were left disabled and can no longer fend for themselves. He also said there was need to formulate policies to protect humans. Tati East legislator, Samson Moyo Guma said his constituents were in trouble with wildlife hence he supported the motion. “There is a lot of reluctance by the government as they are just here in Gaborone and not going out there to see how much our people are suffering,” he said.
“This matter is very urgent. We need more than compensation, we should protect our people and their livestock from wildlife.”