17 Mar 2015

The Assistant Minister of Education and Skills Development, Mr Kgotla Autlwetse, has told Parliament that two law firms, Chibanda Makgalemele and Companyas well as Collins and Newman, provide legal services to the University of Botswana.

He said fees for the services they provided to the university were determined by the nature of the cases they handled, adding he would require additional time to consolidate the information for the house. Mr Autlwetse said the criteria to select the law firms was based on trust and confidence.

“One of the law firms is indeed associated with the University Of Botswana council chairperson, but the appointment of the law firm was made much earlier than the council chairperson’s appointment,” he said.

Mr Autlwetse said the university council had considered the matter and agreed that where there was conflict, which necessarily did arise and could affect all members of the council at one point or the other, the concerned member would recuse themselves as per the conflict of Interest Policy

Gabane-Mankgodi MP, Major General Pius Mokgware had wanted to know the law firms engaged by the University Of Botswana and the fees paid for their services in the last five years, and also the criteria that was used to select the law firms. He further asked whether one of the law firms was associated with the chairman of the University Council. ENDS