Inside Ian Khama’s Wealthy Empire
Inside Ian Khama’s wealthy empire. Often referred to as “the former” Lt. general Khama Ian Khama is basking in the glory that comes with being heir to the nation’s first president. His net worth was last estimated at somewhere between $5 million and $12 million (BWP 50 000 000 and 120 000 000) by different sources but this is subject to change.
There is very little on his real net worth because he always dismisses questions relating to such, describing it as an act of invasion of privacy but sources have been able to tap into some of his accumulated wealth over the years. Khama owns a 5% stake in Wilderness Holdings; parent company to Okavango Wilderness Safaris, a subsidiary of Wilderness Safaris which sets him as a direct benefactor of Botswana’s tourism industry. Prior to the scandals that would follow Wilderness Safaris, the company owned over luxury lodges in the Okavango Delta, raking in millions every year.
The company in question, Linyanti Investment owns the Linyanti Concession, which covers 1250km2 of the northern Kalahari in the Chobe district. A report by the Mail Guardian in 2002 revealed that Wilderness Holdings drew international criticism for the illegal occupation of the ancestral land of the Bushmen in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve.
Khama was among the Board of Directors for the US-based organization Conservation International, which is also active in Botswana. The former is also active in farming, allegedly owning large portion of farming land across Botswana including one in Mmokolodi which was inherited from his late father. His list of business interests is so extensive that some ventures remain unknown. Ian Khama was a fave among Batswana evidenced by the gifts he was given during his send off tour when he stepped down from his role as president of Botswana; adding onto his already wealthy empire. These included Zebras, horses and hundreds of live stock animals. This was all done in appreciation to reciprocate his own tremendous donations during his time as president.
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