The government has moved to draw a firm line between intelligence work and public procurement. Minister of State President Moeti Mohwasa told Parliament this week that the Directorate of Intelligence and Security Service (DIS) ‘has no legal authority to award, direct, or cancel procurement.’
Responding to a question from Leader of the Opposition Dumelang Saleshando, the Minister sought to address long standing concerns that the spy agency had strayed into government procurement decision making.
‘The Directorate of Intelligence and Security Service has no legal authority to award, direct, or cancel procurement,’ Mohwasa told Parliament. ‘It shares security related intelligence with procurement authorities, which make independent decisions.’
The response comes amid persistent allegations that the DIS had exerted undue influence over procurement processes under the previous government.
Mohwasa emphasised that procurement decisions rest solely with legally mandated bodies. ‘Institutions such as the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority retain full and independent decision making powers,’ he said. ‘Any allegations of improper influence can be reported to oversight authorities such as the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime.’
Saleshando had also asked whether courts had found the DIS to have acted outside its mandate. In response, Mohwasa said there is no centralised record of such judgments.
‘Providing a definitive figure would require an extensive case by case review,’ he said, adding that ‘adverse findings are taken seriously, and measures are taken to ensure compliance.’ On financial accountability, the Minister said the DIS operated without external audit from its establishment in 2008 until 2018, when it opened its books to the Auditor General. ‘Oversight structures are now operational, except for the Parliamentary Committee on Intelligence and Security, which is expected to become operational soon,’ he said.
Regarding the agency’s broader role, Mohwasa said the DIS contributes intelligence to financial investigations where national security is implicated. On the Bank of Botswana matter, he said ‘a holistic examination is underway.’
He added that updates on administrative, institutional and oversight reforms would be tabled before the Parliamentary Committee on Intelligence and Security once it is fully operational.