03 Mar 2025

Parliament on Friday adopted a motion calling for an investigation into the P65 million bid for the AFCON 2027.

When tabling the motion, Molepolole North MP, Mr Arafat Khan said in instituting the investigation,  government should determine if the amount of the bid book compared with international trends. He also challenged government to examine the procurement process in choosing the winning bidder and to audit any other process involved in and leading to award of the tender.

Namibia had agreed to collaborate with Botswana in a joint bid,  but the former pulled out last minute due to financial challenges. The bid approved through a Presidential Directive dated December 15, 2021, was such that Botswana would take 60 per cent and Namibia 40 per cent of what was entailed in the agreement including costs for preparations.

Debating the motion, Minister of Sport and Arts, Mr Jacob Kelebeng said any investigation relating to bidding for AFCON 2027 was justifiable. Minister Kelebeng said from the beginning, there was no assurance that after winning the bid, Botswana would be able to host the AFCON finals.

He said government must take such issues seriously, hence the investigation as proposed by the motion was necessary. He said upon assuming office, what he observed, was that Botswana Football Association as the key agency in football matters, should have been allowed to take the lead in the bid.

“However, it appeared the ministry was in control of the bid process. There was lack of public awareness on the bid which led to the bid not having necessary support or buy in from the public,” he said.

He said from the previous engagements with the bid committee, they maintained the view that the bid was well thought out and that it served as a guard for future investment into sporting infrastructure.

However, it is my view that the bid was not necessary for such purpose instead government should have opted for the development of a comprehensive national hosting strategy that included most of our sporting codes, he said.

Mr Kelebeng said what was important was that facilities of the two countries should have been able to meet CAF requirements of hosting an AFCON final. However, the audit identified that facilities that were of importance to the success of the bid and hosting the AFCON finals needed architectural designs, he said.

He said there was also costs estimates of the new stadia, status of the existing stadiums that required maintenance and other infrastructure such as roads and hospitals. He said the information was key in the development of the bid book.

He said the audit revealed that upgrading of the sport facilities in Botswana would require about P5 billion while Namibia needed close to P4 billion. After receiving the facilities audit, he said Namibia pulled out of the bidding process as they deemed the costs to be high. Therefore, Botswana was left with two options to either surrender or continue solo.

The minister said through selective tendering, Reuben Reddy architects was enlisted to do the bid book at a negotiated charge of over P61 million instead of P85 million charged by the lead consultant. Mr Kelebeng said the bid book was submitted in approximately 28 days before the announcement of the AFCON 2027 host. ENDS