Botswana Defence Force has just completed a landing airstrip at Nogatshaa inside the Chobe National Park and handed it to Hollyhock (PTY) Ltd, a private company owned by businessman Karrim Kader and his wife Banoo Kader.
The airstrip has been built within a short distance of the two lodges owned by the Kaders inside the park.
Sunday Standard can confirm that the BDF soldiers and their heavy plant machinery were used to construct the airstrip.
Estimates have put the total cost of the airstrip at P6 million – excluding labour, fuel, mobilization and demobilization by the BDF.
Gravel and other inputs had to be ferried into the park.
In line with projects undertaken by the BDF, there was an exemption for the Environmental Impact Assessment which would otherwise have been a key requirement had the Kader family undertaken the construction by itself.
In an interview the The BDF director of Protocol and Public Affairs Colonel Tebo Dikole said the BDF too stands to benefit from the airstrip. He said access to these areas are often not easy for the BDF.
“This is precisely for easy reach to some of these areas which are not easily traversable by road during logistical supply, rotational operational trips, expeditious force reinforcement to include prompt casualty evacuations (CASEVAC), should the need arise,” said Colonel Dikole.
He added that it might have been expensive for BDF if the airstrip had not been constructed.
“It is worth noting that the concession owners where some of these airstrips are located have the right to refuse usage or charge landing and parking fees for all the landing of BDF aircraft in their concessions. In order to avert this, since we need the airstrips and have no right to build our own on their concessions, the BDF entered into agreement with concession owners for the joint development and maintenance of these airstrips. This arrangement gives BDF the right to have unfettered access to these airstrips without the need to ask first then be granted permission and pay for their use. The arrangement is not only practical but also cheaper for government in the long run as opposed to paying every time BDF aircraft use the landing strips,” he said.
Dikole said building the airstrip at Nogatshaa was not done with the intention to hand it over to a private company.
“It therefore has to be noted that the BDF has not transferred anything to any company in Nogatshaa, more so that issuance or transfer in any concession does not fall within the purview of the BDF.”
Sunday Standard has however seen a letter written by Botswana Defence Force to Civil Aviation authority of Botswana authorizing the authority to register the airstrip in the name of Hollyhock (PTY) Ltd.
“Kindly be informed that a new airstrip/landing zone was jointly developed at Nogatshaa by Botswana Defence Force and Hollyhock (PTY) Ltd as a community and social responsibility (CSR) project. CAAB is therefore requested top register the airstrip under hollyhock to facilitate commercial operations by tourism operators,” reads a BDF letter to Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana seen by Sunday Standard.
The letter is signed by Colonel D. N Hobona.
During the reign of former president Ian Khama the BDF was also used to construct his private runway in Mosu, his holiday home. This resulted in a huge controversy and accusations of abuse.
Karrim Kader’s office said he was abroad. And would not give his contact details.
