Kgathi’s BDF cover up

Defence, Justice and Security minister may have lied to parliament this week when he said President Ian Khama’s brothers have never been involved in arms deal with Botswana Defence Force when Khama was still Commander.

Kgathi was responding to a question from Member of Parliament for Gabane-Mmankgodi Pius Mokgware who had asked the minister the number of tenders awarded by the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) and Botswana Police Service to Seleka Springs, a company owned by the Khama brothers, Anthony Khama and Tshekedi Khama from 1980 to 1998.

Contrary to available information that Seleka Springs controlled the defence budget at BDF when Khama was head of the BDF, Kgathi told Parliament that Seleka Springs has not won tenders in that period. In 2010 minister Lesego Motsumi said Seleka Springs was awarded tenders by BDF between 1980 and 1998 at an undisclosed value. There were no follow-up questions to Mokgware’s question but the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Kagsiso Molatlhegi was taken to task by MPs Wynter Mmolotsi and Dithapelo Keorapetse about Kgathi’s answer, which they said was a lie. Mmolotsi asked almost the similar question in 2010. His was more detailed and part two of it asked the minister to state the companies which were awarded tenders to supply the BDF with vehicles, uniform, food and boats between 1990 and 2000.

At the time Motsumi listed Seleka Springs as one of the companies that won tenders to supply the BDF with vehicles. She also revealed the directors of the company as President Khama’s younger twin brothers, Tshekedi Khama and Anthony Khama. The tenders were awarded while President Khama was Commander of the BDF raising questions over Khama’s conflicted position. Khama only retired from the BDF in 1998. Mmolotsi who rose on a point of order on Wednesday argued that Kgathi lied to the house and he should be given a chance to explain why he lied to the house. In what appeared to be a cover up, Molatlhegi advised Mmolotsi to see him in private over the matter. “Come to my chambers with the evidence, we will correct that,” said Molatlhegi.

Kgathi’s response was viewed by some in the opposition as a calculated move to protect President Khama who has previously benefited substantially from Seleka Springs. But in an interview with the Botswana Guardian the minister denied lying to parliament saying he will put everything into proper context the next day (Thursday). Kgathi admitted that he was aware of Motsumi’s answer in 2010 but said it “should be understood within a context.” The minister emphasised that he was not withholding information. A visibly disappointed Mmolotsi charged that Kgathi was withholding information from the public. “Nowadays these guys are very dishonest.” He said the information sought by Lieutenant General Mokgware was at the time when Khama was Commander of the BDF and with Kgathi’s response the inclination would be to protect the president. “It is unfortunate because the answer was given before. This is pure dishonesty on his part.

It is an attempt to withhold information from the public; information which will show the public that we are led by dishonest leaders,” said Mmolotsi.  BDF has previously said Seleka Springs have been agents of Steyr, an Austrian defence company, which has signed several export contracts, including with Botswana. Available information also shows that the Khama brothers continued to dominate arms deal after Khama left the army.
In 2001, Seleka Springs was involved in a corrupt arms trade that involved BDF and Steyr. As agents, Seleka Springs benefitted substantially in a P400 million arms deal when the BDF wanted to replace its ageing and less capable V-150 and RAM vehicles, it looked to Steyr for the procurement of Piranah.

It is believed that Seleka Springs, which has been de-registered with the Registrar of Companies “controlled the defence budget” between 1980 and 1998 as main suppliers of military hardware, armoury and ammunition. “I think they get 75 percent of the BDF procurement budget,” a source with information on BDF procurement said in 2012. It is believed that Seleka Springs has been awarded 33 out of 35 multimillion Pula tenders until 1998. BDF sensitive tenders fall under the Special Procurement within PPADB.