Member of Parliament Unity Dow has questioned whether the government intends to weaken competitive bidding in public procurement and grant the President special powers in the awarding of state contracts.
Dow, who is the Member of Parliament for Kgateleng West, asked the Minister of Finance during a session of the Parliament of Botswana whether transparency, accountability, fairness and open competition remain core principles guiding the country’s procurement processes.
She further pressed the minister to clarify whether there are plans to introduce legislation that would amend existing procurement laws to grant the President special procurement authority and move away from competitive bidding as the default method.
Specifically, Dow asked if government was considering “abandoning competitive bidding as the default position in the grant of Government tenders and contracts and substituting same with direct appointment.”
Dow’s intervention comes as President Duma Boko has indicated a preference for direct appointments over open tenders, arguing that such an approach ensures faster service delivery.
Her question comes amid growing public scrutiny over procurement practices and concerns about accountability in the awarding of lucrative government tenders.
Public procurement in Botswana has traditionally been governed by strict rules intended to ensure fairness and value for money, with competitive bidding regarded as the cornerstone of the system. Any shift toward direct appointments would represent a significant policy change with far-reaching implications for transparency and public trust.
Dow’s intervention comes as President Duma Boko has indicated a preference for direct appointments over open tenders, arguing that such an approach ensures faster service delivery.
But observers say granting special procurement powers to the President could centralise decision-making authority and potentially reduce oversight, depending on how such powers are structured and regulated.
The Minister of Finance, Ndaba Gaolathe, is expected to clarify government’s position, including whether reforms are under consideration and how they would align with existing governance standards.
Analysts note that procurement reform is often pursued to improve efficiency, particularly in urgent or strategic projects. However, they caution that bypassing competitive bidding can raise risks of favouritism, corruption and reduced value for taxpayers.
Dow’s question has set the stage for what could become a broader debate on the balance between efficiency and accountability in Botswana’s public spending.
The Finance Ministry’s response is expected to provide critical insight into whether the government is planning significant changes to one of the key pillars of public financial management.
