Kokorwe, MPs at war over BNYC inquiry
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Friday April 24, 2015 16:23
Consequent to a motion passed in Parliament recently, the The Parliamentary Committee for Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture, led by Boteti East MP Setlhomo Lelatisitswe launched investigations against BNYC.
Kokorwe, however, insisted that the committee had self-assigned the powers to conduct the investigations.
“Parliament agreed by a way of motion that the ministry of youth should investigate the BNYC. It did not say parliamentary committee should do that. I don’t believe the committee and ministry should run parallel investigations about the same subject hence my decision to stop investigations by the committee,” she said.
Kokorwe further said that the ministry should be allowed an opportunity to investigate and the relevant Parliament assurances committee- would make a follow up.
“I don’t have powers to stop Parliament committee from executing its duties as long as it has been sanctioned by Parliament. If the committee feels strongly that it should investigate the BNYC, it should bring an appropriate motion to Parliament.
“I think Parliament officers who became privy to the committee’s business should have advised the MP’s. I have spoken to the officers and trust there will not be a repeat of the same thing,” she said.
Kokorwe also noted that she only learnt about the committee’s ongoing investigation after being informed that the committee had summoned Permanent Secretary at MYSC - Louis Malikongwa and Executive Director of BNYC, Benjamin Ratsatsi.
Kokorwe further said that Parliament had insured that the ministry would not retrench anyone after BNYC motion passed.
She said only 35 youths’ contract had been terminated before the motion. Malikongwa and Ratsatsi were supposed to have had appeared before the committee on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Kokorwe dismissed suggestions that “she was being used by exterior forces to halt the investigations”, insisting she followed procedure to the letter.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, some members of the committee accused Kokorwe of abrogating to please the Minister of Youth, Thapelo Olopeng.
However, Olopeng has expressed opposition to suggestions that Parliament should investigate BNYC during the last Parliament meeting. Kokorwe and committee chairperson, Boteti East MP Setlhomo Lelatisitswe, are expected to meet today to deliberate on their differences and plan a way forward.
The recently adopted motion requested that Government set up a task force to investigate reports of corruption and maladministration at the BNYC, and the Ministry to suspend all termination of contracts until investigations are complete. Other committee members are; Fidelis Molao, Biggie Butale, Ronald Shamukuni, Konstatinos Markus, Sedirwa Kgoroba, Dr Tlamelo Mmatli and Haskins Nkaigwa.