Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05GABORONE1655
2005-11-10 06:03:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Gaborone
Cable title:  

BOTSWANA CONTINUES TO COMBAT CORRUPTION

Tags:  PGOV PHUM BC 
pdf how-to read a cable
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.


ACTION AF-00 

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 CIAE-00 INL-00 DODE-00 
 PERC-00 DS-00 EB-00 H-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 
 LAB-01 L-00 CAC-00 NSAE-00 OIC-00 NIMA-00 PA-00 
 GIWI-00 PRS-00 P-00 SGAC-00 FMPC-00 SP-00 IRM-00 
 SSO-00 SS-00 STR-00 TRSE-00 EVR-00 R-00 DSCC-00 
 PRM-00 DRL-00 G-00 SAS-00 SWCI-00 /001W
 ------------------5BE6EA 100657Z /38 
FM AMEMBASSY GABORONE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 2666
INFO SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
WHITE HOUSE NSC WASHINGTON DC
HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
C O N F I D E N T I A L GABORONE 001655 

SIPDIS


DEPT FOR AF/S MUNCY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/09/2015
TAGS: PGOV PHUM BC
SUBJECT: BOTSWANA CONTINUES TO COMBAT CORRUPTION

REF: A. 04 GABORONE 1480

B. 04 GABORONE 1636

C. GABORONE 738

Classified By: AMBASSADOR KATHERINE H. CANAVAN FOR REASONS 1.4 B AND D

C O N F I D E N T I A L GABORONE 001655

SIPDIS


DEPT FOR AF/S MUNCY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/09/2015
TAGS: PGOV PHUM BC
SUBJECT: BOTSWANA CONTINUES TO COMBAT CORRUPTION

REF: A. 04 GABORONE 1480

B. 04 GABORONE 1636

C. GABORONE 738

Classified By: AMBASSADOR KATHERINE H. CANAVAN FOR REASONS 1.4 B AND D


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Botswana continues to enjoy the lowest
incidence of corruption in Africa as perceived by
international and local observers. Nonetheless, a rash of
recent allegations has fed the growing public perception
that corruption is a problem in Botswana. Although the
Government has taken a variety of measures to prevent and
prosecute corruption, disconcerting questions have been
raised about the independence of the Directorate on
Corruption and Economic Crime. Mission continues to
highlight the centrality of controlling corruption to
Botswana's economic growth and political stability. END
SUMMARY.

BOTSWANA STILL LEAST CORRUPT IN AFRICA


2. (U) On October 18, Transparency International released
the results of its 2005 Corruption Perception Index, which
again ranked Botswana the least corrupt country in Africa
and 32nd in the world. Round III of the Afrobarometer
survey, shared with donors in Gaborone on October 18,
showed that only 2 percent of Batswana reported having had
to pay a bribe to obtain a permit or document, to avoid
problems with the police, or to receive a Government
service. The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
release on October 12 a report entitled "Striving for Good
Governance in Africa," which favorably assessed governance
in Botswana, including anti-corruption efforts.

RASH OF CORRUPTION ALLEGATIONS


3. (U) Ironically, Transparency International's
re-designation of Botswana as Africa's least corrupt
country coincided with a rash of new corruption
allegations. In early October, a group of firms sought
court intervention to suspend work on several disputed
government contracts -- which they claimed were irregularly
awarded by the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Board
(PPADB) to companies owned by Member of Parliament for
Ghanzi Christian De Graaf and the wife of Minister of
Education, Jacob Nkate. Intervention by a "higher
authority" allegedly enabled their firms to bid on tenders
originally reserved for smaller companies. It then came to
light that the PPADB had awarded tenders to other

contractors who were initially disqualified by the
contracting agency in the Ministry of Agriculture. In a
third incident, reports emerged that the chief executive of
the Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA),a
lending facility established to promote citizen
entrepreneurship, had abused his office to make
unauthorized loans. The Chairman of CEDA's Board also
reportedly owned a company that offered consultancy
services for companies applying for CEDA loans, creating a
clear conflict of interest.

NONE FOUND TO BE LEGITIMATE . . . YET


4. (U) On October 4, a High Court judge dismissed the case
brought by contractors suspicious that corruption had
tainted a Government tender. The judge found the
applicants' claim to a "legitimate expectation" to receive
tenders because their companies fit the bidding
qualifications unpersuasive. Likewise, an investigation
into the PPADB's 2005 tender process reportedly turned up
no instances of corruption. Allegations of corrupt
practices at CEDA, however, have yet to be settled.

CORRUPTION PERCEIVED TO BE GROWING PROBLEM


5. (U) These high profile incidents conform to an apparent
increase in the perception of corruption in Botswana.
Although few respondents to the Afrobarometer survey
reported actually having paid a bribe, thirty percent
described police officers as corrupt, up from 23 percent in
Round II. In a July 2005 survey of businesspeople in
Botswana funded by Mission Gaborone, Prof. Selolwane of the
University of Botswana found that 74 percent of respondents
perceived corruption to be increasing in Botswana, although
the proportion of respondents who believed corruption to be
high far exceed that of those who had knowledge of a
specific instance of corruption. Members of the Botswana
Confederation of Commerce, Industry and Manpower (BOCCIM)
in Francistown described the government tender process as
rife with corruption to Poloff. Reflecting this growing
concern, on October 10, Elias Dewah, Executive Director of
BOCCIM, warned that petty corruption was becoming rampant

in Botswana.

GOB REMAINS VIGILANT


6. (U) The GOB remains vigilant against the danger of
corruption, as witnessed by charges recently brought
against suspected offenders. These range from the minor --
two police officers charged on October 13 for accepting a
bribe -- to the major -- a land developer charged on
October 5 with making false statements in an affidavit to
fraudulently obtain a land grant. This is the first
prosecution following the July 2004 conclusion of a
Commission of Inquiry into irregular land allocations
around the city of Gaborone (Ref A). The GOB had
established a Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Board
in 2003 in an attempt to more transparently conduct the
Government's purchases and sales. The PPADB oversees the
public procurement of works, supplies, services and the
disposal of public assets by all central government
agencies. It is empowered to review and investigate all
decisions made by the various procurement committees.

POLITICAL INTERFERENCE AT DCEC?


7. (C) Although the DCEC has taken appropriate steps to
prevent and prosecute corruption, questions have emerged
regarding the extent of its independence (Ref B). During
the August 8-10 conference of regional anti-corruption
agencies, for example, DCEC director Tymon Katlholo
acknowledged that Batswana often believe that the DCEC
focuses on petty corruption and ignores corrupt practices
by the wealthy and influential. In an August 10
conversation, Philliat Matsheza, Executive Director of
Harare-based Human Rights Trust of Southern Africa relayed
to PolOff an earlier conversation with Katlholo. The DCEC
chief had told Matsheza that Vice President Khama had
personally questioned him about an investigation into the
(notoriously shady) business dealings of Khama's younger
twin brothers. (Note: Prof. Ken Good, the outspoken
academic deported by the Government in May (Ref C),had
highlighted suspicious transactions involving the Khama
brothers and the Botswana Defense Force during Khama's
tenure as Commander. End Note.) Another contact, attorney
Dick Bayford, independently confirmed this report to
Emboffs. This incident reflects a common sense of
apprehension about the implications of a Khama presidency
and whether he might turn a blind eye to corruption among
the socio-economic elite.

COMMENT


8. (U) As economic growth slows and HIV/AIDS drives up
dependency ratios, the temptation for government officials
to seek bribes is likely to grow. The willingness of the
media and the private sector to draw attention to these
incidents suggests that these sectors are able to perform a
watchdog function. In my initial courtesy calls with senior
officials, I have stressed the importance of Botswana's
maintaining its laudable performance on corruption. Mission
will continue to make opportunities to support civil society
efforts to keep corruption in check.
CANAVAN


NNNN