Gov't must empower DCEC urgently

As the new Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) government takes charge, it must act decisively to equip the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) with the tools, laws, and resources needed to combat graft. The time for half-measures is over. DCEC Director-General, Botlhale Makgekgenene’s, recent address to the Public Accounts Committee paints a stark picture. Over five years, leadership instability, chronic underfunding and weak legal frameworks have hamstrung the agency.

With 1,603 cases under investigation and only 35% of reports leading to probes in 2024, the DCEC is drowning in caseloads whilst starved of financial support. Worse, Botswana’s global anti-corruption standing has plummeted, eroding public trust. The UDC government cannot afford to ignore this emergency.