Another attempt to secure the M108.5 million allocation for the controversial Moshoeshoe I International Airport refurbishment project failed in the National Assembly this week.
Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) leader and current coalition government partner, Mothetjoa Metsing, sought to revive the push for the embattled airport's budget.
He argued that the airport was due for an International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) inspection in September next year, and Lesotho would not meet the deadline if the project underwent a retendering process.
Mr Metsing filed a motion to amend the Consolidated Report on the Annual Budget and Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for the 2025/2026 financial year by removing Section 5.18, which demands the project's retendering. He proposed that instead of retendering, legal action should be taken against civil servants who violated the Public Procurement Act 2023.
"Delete 5.18 and substitute with the following: '5.18 Legal action should be taken against the officers who are found to have violated the Public Procurement Act of 2023 for the Design Review and Rehabilitation of Moshoeshoe I International Airport Project'," Mr Metsing said of the report compiled by the Economic and Development Cluster.
However, Democratic Congress (DC) Member of Parliament for Makhaleng Constituency, Mootsi Lehata, countered Mr Metsing's proposal, stating that the contractor, LSP Construction (Pty) Ltd, had violated the same Act. Mr Lehata is one of MPs who has argued that LSP Construction won the tender through corruption and should never be allowed to benefit from its acts of impropriety. LSP has on the other hand argued in a statement - through its chairman - Andre Bothma that it won the contract "legitimately".
While advocating for his amendment, Mr Metsing insisted that the airport project should proceed while legal actions were taken against the perpetrators. He highlighted the longstanding challenges associated with the airport, emphasizing ICAO's warnings that it did not meet international standards and could be shut down if not rehabilitated.
"The Executive needs to take action against those involved. However, we must continue with the project and allocate the budget while ensuring that legal steps are taken against those responsible," he said.
He further argued that failing to proceed with the project before ICAO's inspection in September next year would put Lesotho at risk of having no operational airport.
"We cannot allow corruption, but at the same time, we must ensure the project moves forward. The fear is that if ICAO arrives and finds the airport below international standards, it will be declared unfit, and Lesotho will effectively have no airport."
He urged Parliament to prioritize national interests and not let anger over corruption derail the much-needed rehabilitation.
Mr Lehata, who is also a member of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and the Natural Resources Cluster, rejected Mr Metsing's proposal, arguing that their findings did not justify awarding funds to a company that obtained the contract illegally.
"Every Mosotho needs an airport that meets international standards, but our findings as a committee do not allow us to allocate funds to a company that secured the contract illegally."
Mr Lehata said the Ministry of Public Works and Transport breached the Public Procurement Act 2023 by altering the project scope from basic rehabilitation to a design-and-build model, increasing costs from M50 million to M184 million.
"In the last financial year, we approved M50 million for repairing the roof and other minor works at the airport. However, the ministry later changed the project scope to a design-and-build model, inviting firms through an expression of interest, which was different from the approved plan."
He pointed out that the tendering process was flawed, as all companies except LSP Construction were disqualified. LSP tendered as a single firm but later subcontracted other companies, which was against the procurement regulations.
"The advert specified that bidders should be a firm or a consortium. Four or five companies showed interest. One was disqualified because a civil servant was involved, while others were eliminated, leaving only LSP. However, LSP tendered as a firm but had already subcontracted other companies, making it an unregistered joint venture."
Mr Lehata said Mr Metsing's proposal was flawed because it sought action only against civil servants while ignoring the contractor's violations.
"The motion says only civil servants should be held accountable, but the company also violated the law. They are all at fault."
He stressed that public works projects exceeding M50 million must go through an international open tender process, which did not happen in this case.
"International open tenders ensure competitive pricing and value for money, but this project was handled in a way that favoured one company, leading to skyrocketing costs."
Mr Lehata also said the aviation department was excluded from the tendering process, even though it was the most knowledgeable about international aviation standards.
"The aviation department was never involved, yet it is the expert authority on what needs to be done."
He accused LSP Construction of corrupt dealings with ministry officials.
"The company itself is corrupt, and it has corrupted civil servants. We should not allow this."
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Mr Lehata said the contract should be terminated and retendered following proper procurement regulations and international standards.
"The project must go through a proper process that ensures fairness and compliance with procurement laws."
Basotho National Party (BNP) leader, Machesetsa Mofomobe, echoed Mr Lehata's sentiments, stating that civil servants implicated in the airport corruption scandal were still holding office despite public outcry.
"Mr Metsing's motion suggests that only civil servants should face legal action. However, these individuals are still in office despite widespread awareness of their involvement in corruption."
Mr Mofomobe expressed skepticism about the government's willingness to take real action against corruption.
"What guarantees do we have that the government will act? This motion is simply an attempt to allocate the budget while endorsing further corruption."
He challenged Prime Minister Sam Matekane to demonstrate strong leadership by taking decisive action against corrupt ministers and civil servants.
"The Prime Minister must set an example. If a minister is corrupt, they must be fired. If a civil servant is corrupt, they must be held accountable," Mr Mofomobe said.
