Justice is not merely about legal victories; it is about trust. Botswana’s High Court, in its refusal to grant the government leave to appeal a tainted tender decision, has reinforced a fundamental principle: the law will not rescue those who abuse it.
This ruling is more than a technical legal decision it is a mirror reflecting the rot in the country’s procurement processes and governance.
For far too long, government officials have twisted regulations to serve their interests, betraying the very citizens they are sworn to serve.
The Judiciary’s rejection of this appeal is a timely reminder that corruption—no matter how deeply entrenched cannot indefinitely escape accountability. Yet, while courts can deliver justice case by case, systemic reform must follow.
The brazenness with which procurement rules were violated in this case is alarming. When senior officials disregard fairness to favour foreign entities, they do not merely mismanage funds they erode public trust.
Worse, when state lawyers concede wrongdoing in court yet still attempt to wriggle out of consequences, it exposes a deeper culture of impunity.
This is why this judgment matters. It signals that the courts will not legitimise manipulative governance. It affirms that misconduct at the highest levels cannot be excused as mere procedural missteps. But justice delivered in a courtroom must be mirrored in government actions.
The referral of implicated officials to anti-corruption bodies must result in real accountability—not symbolic investigations that vanish into bureaucratic oblivion.
Too often, corruption is treated as a policy inconvenience rather than a crime against the people. It is communities like Gantsi South that suffer when tenders are manipulated for private gain. Delayed infrastructure projects, inflated costs, substandard work these are not abstract consequences; they are realities that affect livelihoods.
Botswana’s Judiciary has done its part by refusing to legitimise dirty dealings. Now, Parliament must tighten procurement laws, demand transparency, and ensure that officials fear accountability rather than relish impunity.
And citizens, too, must be uncompromising in demanding leaders who prioritise national interests over backroom deals.
Justice Zein Kebonang’s ruling is not just about one tender it is about the integrity of our institutions. If corruption can bar an appeal in court, it should certainly bar officials from holding positions of power. The government has been given an opportunity to clean house. The question is: will it?
“Without strong watchdog institutions, impunity becomes the very foundation upon which systems of corruption are built. And if impunity is not demolished, all efforts to bring an end to corruption are in vain. “ — Rigoberta Menchú
For far too long, government officials have twisted regulations to serve their interests, betraying the very citizens they are sworn to serve.
The Judiciary’s rejection of this appeal is a timely reminder that corruption—no matter how deeply entrenched cannot indefinitely escape accountability. Yet, while courts can deliver justice case by case, systemic reform must follow.
The brazenness with which procurement rules were violated in this case is alarming. When senior officials disregard fairness to favour foreign entities, they do not merely mismanage funds they erode public trust.
Worse, when state lawyers concede wrongdoing in court yet still attempt to wriggle out of consequences, it exposes a deeper culture of impunity.
This is why this judgment matters. It signals that the courts will not legitimise manipulative governance. It affirms that misconduct at the highest levels cannot be excused as mere procedural missteps. But justice delivered in a courtroom must be mirrored in government actions.
The referral of implicated officials to anti-corruption bodies must result in real accountability—not symbolic investigations that vanish into bureaucratic oblivion.
Too often, corruption is treated as a policy inconvenience rather than a crime against the people. It is communities like Gantsi South that suffer when tenders are manipulated for private gain. Delayed infrastructure projects, inflated costs, substandard work these are not abstract consequences; they are realities that affect livelihoods.
Botswana’s Judiciary has done its part by refusing to legitimise dirty dealings. Now, Parliament must tighten procurement laws, demand transparency, and ensure that officials fear accountability rather than relish impunity.
And citizens, too, must be uncompromising in demanding leaders who prioritise national interests over backroom deals.
Justice Zein Kebonang’s ruling is not just about one tender it is about the integrity of our institutions. If corruption can bar an appeal in court, it should certainly bar officials from holding positions of power. The government has been given an opportunity to clean house. The question is: will it?
“Without strong watchdog institutions, impunity becomes the very foundation upon which systems of corruption are built. And if impunity is not demolished, all efforts to bring an end to corruption are in vain. “ — Rigoberta Menchú
