IN DEFENCE

Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) President, Mpho Balopi, has fiercely defended his party against corruption claims, rejecting the label of ‘club of thieves’ and urging transparency and accountability in handling allegations tied to missing public fundsAddressing the media on Tuesday, Balopi said reports and findings linked to allegations of corruption should be made public so that Batswana can know the truth and hold those responsible accountable.“A forensic audit is conducted because suspicions of corruption were there,” Balopi said.He questioned allegations that the BDP had looted billions of pula, saying those making such claims should provide evidence and ensure that the public knows exactly who was involved.“Some people are mentioning that BDP has looted P33 billion; if they know, then they should make it public so that people who allegedly took that money should return it to government,” he said.Balopi maintained that because the BDP’s name has repeatedly been linked to the allegations, any reports containing information on the matter should be publicly released.“We as the BDP, since this report is said to have our names, believe it should be made public so that people can see who did not do good with Batswana’s money. We have to account for this because this is Batswana’s money,” he said.He expressed concern over what he described as shifting narratives around individuals allegedly connected to the matter. “It should not be deadwood. Some days they say Balopi is part of it, other days they mention others,” he said.Balopi argued that reports on such issues should follow the example of previous public processes and inquiries. “It should be made public like the Kgabo Commission, which was public,” he said.Balopi rejected suggestions that corruption is embedded within the BDP.“BDP is an institution created by people; it is not a club of thieves, and in our constitution there is nowhere it is written that people should join and go do corruption,” he said.He emphasised that if corruption exists, responsibility lies with individuals and not with the party as a whole.“It is individuals within the BDP. We would like the new government to give relevant institutions the authority to investigate that corruption,” he said.Balopi said the party remains opposed to corruption and criminal activity and supports lawful processes in addressing wrongdoing.“We as the BDP do not agree with corruption. Our constitution mentions that we do not condone corruption and crime, and we support any lawful means of dealing with corruption,” he said.The BDP president also addressed claims relating to the alleged P100 billion stolen from Bank of Botswana, saying the party was shocked by statements reportedly made by the Director of Public Prosecutions at the Public Accounts Committee.“We were shocked by the DPP at the PAC saying P100 billion was never there,” he said.According to Balopi, investigations involving several government departments had reportedly concluded that no such amount existed.“He said he investigated with all the departments and concluded that there was never P100 billion,” he said.Balopi said, following these developments, the party believes the allegations may have been politically motivated.“We as the BDP, after hearing this, can say it is clear that the charges were motivated by political persecution, nothing more and nothing less,” he said.He appealed to current and future governments to ensure that similar situations do not recur. Balopi also called for investigation into the matter and accountability for those involved.He said the government should investigate the P100 billion matter further. All those who were involved in the case should pay all the costs; the money used for apologies and related matters should be paid by them.He added that individuals responsible for damaging the country’s reputation and misusing public resources should be held accountable and required to return public funds.Balopi apologised for developments that took place during the BDP’s time in government, saying institutions had pursued issues that are now being questioned.

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IN DEFENCE