Over the last several months we have been following Wilderness Safaris’ bid to purchase Air Botswana and this past Friday morning we found the following headline. Wilderness Safaris had emerged as the Botswana cabinet’s preferred bidder and Botswana’s largest eco-tour operator had purchased an airline!

But by Friday evening we read on the Botswana Stock Exchange website that“…after careful deliberation, the Company has decided to not pursue the matter any further. Accordingly, the Company has withdrawn its Expression of Interest and has advised the Government of its decision. The Company wishes the Government of Botswana and Air Botswana well in their efforts to achieve a turnaround of the national carrier.”

The letter from Wilderness Safaris continues to state that the company had submitted an Expression of Interest in the privatization of Air Botswana on February 2017 and there had not been further progress in the matter.