Sankwasa warns councillors over tender-related nepotism

Regional councils and local authorities have been warned against awarding tenders to companies owned by relatives or politically connected individuals at the expense of service delivery. Urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa says councillors must stop favouring companies that lack the capacity to deliver, warning that such practices are contributing to unfinished projects across the country. Speaking at the ninth congress of the Association of Regional Councils (ARC) at Rundu in the Kavango East region on Monday, Sankwasa challenged councillors to prioritise competence and accountability when awarding contracts. “Don’t choose a company because it’s your cousin, while you know very well it does not have the capacity to deliver. Right now in this country, we have commenced but [have not] finished projects,” he said.

He argued that established companies were once small businesses that needed opportunities to grow. He warned that those found awarding contracts to their relatives will be brought to task, urging management committees to uphold the rule. Sankwasa reminded councillors that they were elected to serve the people and not betray their trust, adding that voters have the power to oust them if they lose confidence in them. Sankwasa said local authorities and constituency councillors must work together to address shortcomings and not operate in isolation. This comes after he criticised regional councils for what he described as shortcomings in their oversight and management within their respective regions. Sankwasa said constituency councillors should know about community issues instead of rushing them to central government, adding that some councillors are often nowhere to be found because…