No missing maize in P1.7m BAMB deal
Kwenantle Farms has moved to swiftly clarify allegations surrounding a P1.7 million maize transaction involving the Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board, insisting that the produce is fully accounted for and remains under a valid contractual arrangement.
The matter came under scrutiny before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Statutory Bodies and State Enterprises, where concerns were raised that no formal procurement process had been followed.
It was further alleged that the maize had not been recorded in BAMB’s inventory system, remained in the supplier’s custody, and that its condition and location were unknown—raising fears of possible fraud and audit failures.
However, Kwenantle Farms Managing Director Lembie Tlhalerwa dismissed any suggestion of wrongdoing, stating that the company complied with all requirements set by BAMB and holds full documentation relating to the transaction.
In a separate clarification, BAMB issued a statement expressing regret over how Kwenantle Farms was referenced in recent reporting, while moving to set the record straight on the maize deal.
BAMB confirmed that a valid and duly executed contract exists between the two parties for the purchase of 500 metric tonnes of maize. The board further stated that the maize remains safely stored at Kwenantle Farms with the full knowledge and agreement of both parties.
The organisation said the temporary storage arrangement was necessitated by operational and logistical challenges, including the grounding of its truck fleet due to historical fuel management abuse, mechanical failures, and ongoing internal reforms affecting procurement, transport, and operational systems.
BAMB also indicated that it had established an interim grain trading and transaction management task force to strengthen oversight, improve accountability, and stabilise grain procurement processes during its reform period.
It maintained that the transaction was managed within this interim control framework and does not represent a missing or unaccounted-for grain consignment as previously implied.
The board further emphasised that the arrangement is properly documented, contractually binding, and forms part of broader efforts to improve governance and operational efficiency within the organisation.
The matter comes amid heightened scrutiny of BAMB’s operations after Chief Executive Officer Lilian Costa Scheepers told the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Statutory Bodies and State Enterprises that the parastatal has been affected by years of weak internal controls, poor governance, and financial mismanagement.
Scheepers revealed that sorghum worth nearly P450,000 allegedly went missing within BAMB’s supply chain after more than 2,000 bags transported from Pandamatenga could not be accounted for in the organisation’s retail system.
She disclosed that in her second week in office, she halted payments after discovering that basic paperwork and reconciliation procedures were not being followed, including fuel expenses of about P300,000 that allegedly lacked supporting reconciliation records.
The CEO also warned that the organisation is under severe financial pressure, revealing that she recently signed a P257 million private bank loan described as the largest in BAMB’s history, with almost all BAMB assets used as security.