This report examines the socio‑political impacts of Community‑Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) in Namibia during a period when national debates on power, participation, and local governance were intensifying. Conducted in 2002 six years after the introduction of Namibia’s conservancy legislation the study investigates how stakeholders within two communal conservancies, as well as actors at the national level, perceive the outcomes of CBNRM. Drawing on interviews and stakeholder engagement, the report analyses patterns of interaction, the distribution of power, and emerging conflicts within the CBNRM framework. It offers insights into whether the programme meets its objectives of community empowerment, improved governance, and sustainable resource management, providing valuable guidance for scholars, practitioners, policymakers, and conservancy members.