Maun Community Unites for a Cleaner Thamalakane River

Why would a landlocked country join a campaign called the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Campaign? Because water is water, and water is life. For Botswana, the Okavango Delta is our ocean, and protecting its waters is protecting our future.

On 23rd September 2025, Wild Entrust and Commonwealth Sport Botswana welcomed the Commonwealth Games Federation’s King’s Baton Relay to Maun. The Baton, which travels through every Commonwealth nation and territory ahead of the Commonwealth Games, symbolizes unity, shared values, and collective action. In Botswana, it inspired community action through a river clean-up walk along the Thamalakane River, marking the country’s second clean-up event of the Royal Commonwealth Society’s Commonwealth Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign. Together, participants collected litter to keep plastics out of one of the nation’s most precious and fragile waterways.

As the King’s Baton was passed from hand to hand during the clean-up, it reminded participants that this was more than a symbolic act, it was about what the baton represents: passing on good habits, uniting for a shared goal, and working together for a cleaner, healthier environment. Just as in athletics, where the baton must be passed cleanly for a team to succeed, Botswana showed how a collective effort can cross the finish line. This spirit also echoed Botswana’s pride as World Champions in the men’s 4x400m relay: on the track or on the riverbanks, relays inspire teamwork, perseverance, and success. Speaking at the event, keynote speaker Lesley McNutt, Director of Wild Entrust said:

“Sport teaches us that a relay is more than speed. It’s about timing, trust, and a clean handover. This morning, as the Commonwealth Sport Botswana hands over the Baton, we receive more than a symbol; we receive a responsibility, to pass on a healthier Botswana. A baton of pride, yes, but also a baton of stewardship”.

To ensure a lasting impact, Wild Entrust donated waste bins to be placed at Big Tree and Matlapana Old Bridge, two key community hotspots where proper waste management is vital. Youth voices led the way, with 45 students from Botswelelo Primary School, Mathiba Primary School and Letsholathebe Primary School guiding the clean-up, performing a poem and skit to highlight the importance of stewardship for both today and tomorrow.

Among those in attendance were local leaders, NGOs, former athletes, officials from the Department of Environmental Protection, the North-West District Council’s Environmental Health Office, the Department of Wildlife and National Parks, members of the tourism sector, and community representatives. Their presence underscored how the Baton Relay brings people together: across generations, across communities, and across the Commonwealth.

Notably, Kgosi Ledimo, senior chief representative of the Batawana Tribal Authority, graced the occasion and expressed his support for the initiative. In his opening remarks, Kgosi Ledimo said it was:

“a great pleasure and honour to be invited to this occasion and witness the clean-up campaign initiated by Wild Entrust and Commonwealth Sport Botswana.” He went on to commend the campaign’s importance to Maun, noting that keeping the river and surrounding environment clean carries significant health benefits. “When you clean the environment, the look and space of that area improve, and it becomes more welcoming. I am truly impressed by this initiative.” 

This celebration in Maun demonstrated that the spirit of the Baton Relay goes beyond sport. It unites people in action, on the track, in our communities, and for our environment. The message is clear: every hand, every step, and every baton pass makes a difference.

ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN

The Royal Commonwealth Society’s Commonwealth Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign will prevent one million pieces of plastic from entering Commonwealth waterways.

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The campaign will combine education and local action to encourage people to reduce their plastic waste, highlight alternatives, and reduce pollution across the Commonwealth.

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For the action component of the campaign, the Royal Commonwealth Society has partnered with Commonwealth Sport to deliver the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign as a core component of The King’s Baton Relay. This newly envisioned King’s Baton Relay will focus on sustainability and environmentalism and was launched by His Majesty The King at Buckingham Palace on Commonwealth Day 2025, beginning a 500-day journey to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in July 2026.

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Journeying through every Commonwealth nation and territory, this partnership will bring together young people, athletes, conservation groups, and the local community for a week of activities, including a plastic clean-up.

The views and opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the Royal Commonwealth Society.