Wilderness Safaris has come under fire from President Mokgweetsi Masisi for “betraying” Botswana by relocating its headquarters from Botswana to Mauritius.

When President Masisi spoke at a Kgotla meeting in Maun, he targeted Wilderness Safaris alongside Kwando Safaris and Great Plains Conservation.

Wilderness started the process this year to move Wilderness Holdings Limited, its holding company, from Botswana to Mauritius.

However, with just a few days before elections President Masisi came with guns blazing stating that he has been ‘pained’ by this development.

He stated: ‘I’ve expressed my hurt to Wilderness Safaris. Through this relocation they will deny us the taxes they were obligated to pay here.  The company was established in Botswana, where they make the most of their revenue, but they have abandoned us. This is despite their significant investments in the Okavango Delta. You can verify if this information is accurate on the CIPA website.’

However, in the past, Tarryn Gibson, Head of Corporate Communications & PR at Wilderness, made it clear that operations in Botswana would not be impacted by the relocation. As part of a reorganization process, Wilderness Botswana will continue to operate fully while the group’s head office is moved to Mauritius’ he was quoted.

President Masisi also described the ‘’conspiracy’’ he witnessed between Khamas and tourism businesses over a land grab in the Okavango Delta. He disclosed that Tshekedi Khama, the former minister of tourism, passed and implemented a contentious rule that would automatically grant corporations 15-year old automatic lease renewals.

According to President Masisi, this law was similar to a land grab. It was a strategic decision to guarantee the concessions’ perpetual ownership by the firms. He explained that this is the reason Batswana businesses are underrepresented in the Okavango Delta.

He added that some tourism companies are still benefiting from the arrangement. When the leases for the following concessions expire in 2025, they will automatically be renewed. NG26 is under Great Plains Conservation, NG15 is under Wilderness Safaris, and NG25 is under Kwando Safaris. An additional 15-year lease extension will be granted to them., explained Masisi.

The President declared that after all of the existing leases expire, the government will no longer use the 15-year automatic lease renewal. He declared: ” this land is not theirs. its for Batswana. Batswana must be rich from their land”

Masisi clarified that four tourism concessions are up for bid in the interim. Masisi stated that only Batswana-based businesses are permitted to lease these concessions. NG7, NG12, NG27 zone A, and NG27 zone B are the concessions in question. Masisi reports that 40 companies have already expressed interest in the tenders, which are set to close on December 6. By April 2025, the concessions will be distributed.

President Masisi has stated that only Batswana-based companies will be eligible for these incentives. He explained that one clause in the deal will state that it will not be allowed to sell the concession to a foreign company.