12 Nov 2020

The Office of the President has issued a statement regarding a Botswana Defence Force (BDF)) anti-poaching activity near Kasane which resulted in the fatal shooting of four members of a Namibian family on November 5.

   Issued yesterday, the full text of the statement reads;

“The Office of the President wishes to acknowledge the contents of the recent media statement published by the government of the Republic of Namibia, pertaining to the fatal shooting of four Namibian nationals from the same family on 5th November, 2020 during an anti-poaching activity by the Botswana Defence Force (BDF), near Kasane in Botswana.

His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Botswana Dr Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi has been in direct contact with His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Namibia Dr Hage Geingob.  His Excellency the President of the Republic of Botswana has joined his Namibian counterpart in extending sincere condolences to the bereaved family, and to the Namibian nation.

Mindful of the excellent and ever deepening bilateral relations between the Republic of Botswana and the Republic of Namibia, the two Heads of State have expressed their full commitment to resolve this issue in an expeditious and amicable manner. To this effect, and in the spirit of good neighbourliness, the two governments have agreed to undertake a joint investigation with the view to determine and address the circumstances that resulted in the incident.

Their Excellencies President Masisi and President Geingob, assure the bereaved family, and the respective nations of the two countries that the incident is receiving the utmost attention it deserves from relevant authorities in both Botswana and Namibia.

His Excellency the President has appealed to the peoples of both countries to remain calm while investigations are in progress.”ends