Councillors demand answers on controversial Kanye Sanitation Project

Kanye councillors on Tuesday grilled Minister of Water and Sanitation, Onneetse Ramogapi, accusing him of defending what they called years of mismanagement under the former ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP). They bluntly told him that it was not his place to justify mistakes committed by the past regime, particularly on the controversial Kanye Sanitation Project.The heated exchanges took place in the Tomela Council Chambers after the minister toured parts of the project site earlier in the morning.Both area Members of Parliament – Victor Phologolo of Kanye West and Prince Mosanana of Kanye North - were absent from the tour and subsequent address. In his address, Ramogapi admitted that the project had run over budget but insisted that the costs were justified. The original contract sum of P700 million had ballooned to more than P3.4 billion, but according to the minister, this was due to unforeseen technical challenges and external factors.He cited excavation in the unexpectedly rocky terrain, procurement delays, Covid-19 compliance costs, VAT increases, and compensation of affected residents as the main reasons for the cost escalations.Ramogapi explained that 724 compensation claims had been resolved, with 855 cases still pending.“The contractor had to source gravel from Lobatse, blasting was required in several areas, and some of the pipes were shipped all the way from America. All of these issues added to the costs,” Ramogapi told councillors.He warned residents against dumping items such as worn-out blankets, animal skins, and broken utensils into the drainage system, as this would damage infrastructure and frustrate sanitation efforts. On the Bonno housing project, Ramogapi admitted there were budgetary constraints but promised that the government would strive to deliver, despite the challenges.But the councillors were not impressed.Councillor for Lodubeng ward, Tebogo Thebeyame, led the charge, saying Ramogapi was simply defending corruption and wastage.“Variation cannot exceed 100 per cent. Whatever justification you give throws us under the bus. This is pure corruption and somebody must be held accountable,” he said.Thebeyame complained that his ward had been left worse off by Phase One of the project.“There is no drinking water. The pipes are dry. And yet we are told to accept that billions have been spent. This project has brought no results for the people.”Other councillors accused the Ministry of failing to coordinate the Water Utilities Corporation and Estate Construction, leading to costly delays.“Water Utilities Corporation is overwhelmed and failing to respond to queries. They do not have enough staff, and that is why shortages have worsened,” another councillor said.Councillor for Marapalalo Ward, Jack Kelesitse, said the minister was merely justifying inflated costs.“Why would you say the costs are okay? If residents resist moving because of compensation disputes, why not use legal clauses instead of using this as an excuse for delays?”Councillor Mosekise Ranngobana argued that the project was flawed from the beginning.“This project was a disaster from day one. The tender was challenged in court, blasting has cracked homes, and the compensation process was unfair.Only those within 50 metres of blasting sites were compensated, while others further away but equally affected were ignored.”Another councillor likened the sanitation sites to 'molapo wa Mathubapula,' saying the project had left the village reeking and broken. Visibly shaken, Ramogapi denied shielding anyone from scrutiny.“I am not defending anyone. I am only speaking the truth,” he said, reiterating that surveyors had underestimated the scale of rock excavation, which rose far beyond the anticipated eight per cent.“If there is corruption, it will be exposed by the ongoing audit. Dilo di tsamaya sentle (Things are going according to plan). I am not siding with anyone,” he maintained.The minister suggested that the completion date, originally set for November, was unrealistic and proposed March 2026 as a more achievable target. The Kanye Sanitation Project has been a lightning rod for controversy. Originally budgeted at P724.96 million nearly a decade ago, it has since consumed more than P3.6 billion.Kanye West MP, Victor Phologolo, has in the past called for a full investigation into the ballooning costs, arguing that the spending is out of control and risks being a white elephant. Vice President and Minister of Finance, Ndaba Gaolathe, also referred to the project in his maiden budget speech earlier this year. Presenting his proposals, Gaolathe cited Kanye as an example of recurring cost overruns in water and sanitation infrastructure.“The Kanye Sanitation Project had an original contract sum of P724.96 million but incurred cost overruns of P2.90 billion, leading to a revised contract sum of P3.63 billion. This is unacceptable going forward,” Gaolathe told Parliament, promising tighter controls. But government insiders at the time told Botswana Guardian that Gaolathe may have overlooked deeper structural problems with the project, including poor geotechnical assessments, sourcing of backfilling material from distant areas, and unresolved environmental permits.The project also faced delays while under investigation by a joint security task team, and resumed after clearance by the Directorate on Intelligence and Security (DIS).Despite Ramogapi’s detailed explanations, councillors remained unconvinced, insisting that the project represented waste on a grand scale and that defending it amounted to shielding the past regime’s failures.

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Councillors demand answers on controversial Kanye Sanitation Project