13 Dec 2017

Former Parliamentary Council (PC), Mr Shabani Chikamba has contradicted his former bosses at the National Assembly saying he was not in a position to write a report over the Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO).  

Mr Chikamba, as PC was appointed secretary to Parliamentary Committee on Statutory Bodies and Public Enterprises and had to write a report, but his contract came to an end before he could complete it.

However, it has since emerged that crucial documents have since gone missing.

The clerk of the National Assembly and her deputy had told the committee that information they received from Attorney General’s Chambers (Mr Chikamba’s new bosses) was that the former PC was working on the report.

The chairperson of the committee, Mr Samson Guma wondered how a report could be written when crucial information was missing.

Apparently, the clerk, Ms Barbara Dithapo said she only learnt about the missing documents from Mr Guma as she was not privy to their whereabouts.

She said since the information contained was confidential, it was the prerogative of Mr Chikamba to store them.

However, for his part, Mr Chikamba said the files were with his former employers under the custodianship of one Mr Thabo Thulane with some also remaining at the records office.

He explained that when his contract expired, he had to leave and only returned after sometime to do the hand over.

The missing files were only discovered after he left and Mr Chikamba said as far as he was concerned, they were intact when he left.

He further wondered if he would be able to do the job yet he was now holding a junior position, to which the clerk said he should as it was his duty in his previous position.

Mr Chikamba further said he was only told to write a report on November 28, a day before the clerk appeared before the committee, something which Ms Dithabo denied.

The former PC also said given the high marks he received from his former boss, he had legitimate expectations that his contract would be reviewed, only to be disappointed.

He said he stayed six months without a job and therefore was not in a position to author the report while outside government employ.

Ms Dithabo said she had engaged the Sergeant at Arms who in turn had roped in the police to investigate the missing files. ENDS