Says small suppliers got a raw deal
SESUPO RANTSIMAKO
FRANCISTOWN: The council here has 24 hours to fully explain how it used P3 million allocated to buy and distribute COVID-19 relief food, The Botswana Gazette has established.
The man behind the ultimatum, the MP for Francistown West Ignatius Moswaane, wrote a letter to the City Council of Francistown after complaints by general dealers and other small business people that they were tossed aside and replaced by bigger players in a process that allegedly smacked of corruption.
“What I gathered is that a consensus was reached between FCC and suppliers to award tenders equally to local shop owners as per their respective locations. This was to ensure that both get an equal opportunity to distribute food hampers,” reads a part of the letter.
Moswaane also alleges that there was favouritism in tender allocation because some suppliers had the whole city while others were awarded only 250 households. He notes that wholesalers allegedly disadvantaged small local suppliers by increasing prices.
Since the COVID-19 relief food programme started last month, Moswaane has been vocal about the corruption that allegedly attended it. He even wrote to President Mokgweetsi about the alleged pong.
The Town Clerk Lopang Pule said he could not take calls because he was in a meeting, but he also ignored questions sent to the phone.