Africa-Press – Botswana. A whistle-blower who recently filed a report with the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) alleging irregularities of a Botswana Police Services tender is asking President Mokgweetsi Masisi to intervene.
In his four-page long report, the whistle-blower also put the President on the spotlight saying: “I am deeply concerned about the disconnect between President Masisi’s rhetoric on economic empowerment and the reality on the ground, where it is often the same elites who are the primary beneficiaries of government contracts and initiatives.”
According to the report of the whistle-blower; “While economic empowerment should aim to uplift the broader population, it is sad to observe a pattern where a select few consistently reap the rewards.” He said: “This raises legitimate questions about the sincerity of your commitment to genuine economic empowerment that benefits ALL citizens.”
The whistle-blower indicated that he was writing to Masisi “to bring to your attention a matter of grave concern regarding the procurement decision related to the construction of 28 police stations for the Botswana Police Service.”
He states that: “This initiative, within the framework of the Transition National Development Plan (TNDP), is allocated a substantial budget of 256 Million Pula under Tender DS/POL 033/ 23-24 WORKS Proposed Development of 28 New Police Stations & Houses across the Country on Turn Key Model for Botswana Police Service.”
The whistleblower indicated that: “It has come to my knowledge that the procurement process for these police station construction projects was carried out through restricted selective tendering, and I believe that this approach raises significant issues of transparency and fairness.”
He said the tendering process, approved by the Permanent Secretary on 17 May 2023, resulted in the selection of only nine companies to undertake these critical projects.
“The whistle-blower said; “My primary concern is that the use of restricted tendering for a project of this magnitude, without clear justification for such an approach, is unethical and in violation of established regulations.”
He said Regulation 16 explicitly states that restricted bidding may only be employed when the relevant works, services, or supplies are only available from a limited group of providers or when exceptional circumstances warrant a departure from customary open domestic bidding.
“The absence of exceptional circumstances and the restrictive selection of participants raise serious questions about the fairness and legality of these procurement decisions,” he said.
Furthermore, the whistle-blower said, there are alarming discrepancies regarding the qualifications and experience of some of the selected companies.
He said one of the companies incorporated just one month prior to the tender’s approval, lacks a substantial track record for a project of this scale. Yet another company is not even registered with the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Board (PPADB) and has no prior history of working with the government. He added that some of the selected companies are property management companies rather than construction firms.
Moreover, the whistle-blower said “it is indeed disconcerting that the highest civil servant, who is expected to champion transparency and uphold the highest ethical standards, appears to be involved in transactions that may lack transparency and fairness.” He added that “Her husband is a beneficial shareholder…” according to the report, the role of the top civil servant “is crucial in ensuring that public resources are allocated justly and that the interests of all citizens are protected.”
“Any perception of their involvement in crony deals is not only detrimental to their office’s reputation but also undermines the public’s trust in government institutions,” the whistleblower said. He said the company in question was selected “despite being relatively new to the industry. It’s worth noting that this selection came ahead of 310 other Grade E companies, and you can find the complete list attached for reference.”
He said many of these established companies have been operating in the industry for several years, making significant contributions to our economy. The whistle-blower said “They have not only employed a substantial number of citizens but also invested in their training and development.” He added that “Additionally, these companies have consistently contributed billions in tax revenue over time. Despite their track record, these companies found themselves passed over in favor of PSP’s company, which had only been in operation for a mere month, along with several other property- management firms, which have no experience and equipment for construction. He said a shelf company can never be given Works 01 Building Construction Works and Maintenance Grade E by PPRA (Public Procurement Regulatory Authority), this critical requirement was excluded from the tender 2 Rather the tenders evaluation criteria centred around Services Code 316- Real Estate Services and Project Management.
“This is highly embarrassing and shameful. Does this mean all construction projects in the future will require Real Estate Services and Project Management and there is no need for companies to have experiences, plant, equipment, machines, engineers, vehicles in order to qualify for Works 01 Building Construction Works and Maintenance Grade E certification,” said the whistleblower.
He said it imperative to ensure that public procurement processes are conducted in a transparent, fair, and lawful manner, and that they serve the best interests of the citizens of Botswana. “Therefore, I kindly request the following actions: Initiate an independent and comprehensive investigation into the procurement decisions related to the construction of 28 police stations.”
He said there is need for Masisi to “Take appropriate measures to rectify any potential lapses in the procurement process and hold those responsible for any wrongdoing accountable” and “Consider reversing the restricted tender and instead initiate an open and competitive tender process to ensure transparency and fairness in awarding these contracts.”
“I trust in your commitment to the welfare of our nation and the responsible use of public funds,” said the whistle-blower.
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