The case in which Leader of Opposition (LOO) and Member of Parliament for Maun West, Dumelang Saleshando, has dragged the Speaker of the National Assembly to court is expected to commence before Justice Godfrey Radijeng this morning.
In court papers filed before the Gaborone High Court, Saleshando who is also the President of Botswana Congress Party (BCP) pleads with court to interdict the speaker from suspending him from Parliament sitting.
“An order restraining and interdicting the Respondents from suspending the Applicant in sitting in the national assembly pending review of the proceedings intended to be launched against the Respondent in their decision to suspend the Applicant,” the application reads in part.
In the court documents, Saleshando further pleads “an order permitting and entitling the applicant (Saleshando) to sit in and participate in the proceedings of the national assembly pending review to be launched against the respondents.”
According to the background of the case, Saleshando says at a parliamentary meeting held at Boipuso Hall in April 2020, he made an allegation that there were tender allocations which were politically influenced.
“I specifically stated amongst other things that a company called Motenco Solutions (PTY) Ltd was awarded a tender for P 13, 747, 360 .00 for the provision of anti-retroviral drugs without a competitive bid.”
Saleshando further argues that he further told Parliament that one of the directors of the said company is a certain Boitumelo Phadi Mmutle who is the sister to President Mokgweetsi Masisi.
“I also tendered documents retrieved from the website of Public Procurement And Assets Disposal Board, (PPDAB) which indicated that the said company was indeed awarded,” the court record reads.
“To my dismay after conclusion that the motion for that day, the 2nd respondent (speaker of Parliament) named me again and called upon Honorable Kably to move the motion in terms of order 60.4. Honorable Kably moved the said motion and members of parliament elected through the Botswana Democratic Party ticket voted for my suspension from parliament for a period of five days.”
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