Botswana: Ministry clarifies Morupule A tender

Minerals, energy and water resources minister Onkokame Kitso Mokaila has sought to clarify the tender for the rehabilitation of the 132MW Morupule A coal power plant following accusations of impropriety. The local Sunday Standard accused the ministry of negotiating with South Korea’s Doosan Heavy Industries and Construction over the contract while the Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) tender process was still running. Speaking in parliament, Mokaila denied running a parallel process, saying the ministry allowed Doosan to inspect the plant while the BPC tender process was ongoing but that the bid was received after the process was completed. He said BPC and owner’s engineer Lahmeyer International were currently evaluating Doosan’s bid.