Debswana Excludes Eight for Fronting | Botswana News

Botswana News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Sep 1, 2026 · 1m

Debswana just expelled eight companies from its supplier list after uncovering rampant fronting—fake local businesses masquerading as genuine SMEs—undermining its $20 billion Citizen Economic Empowerment Programme designed to create 20,000 jobs by 2024. With whispers suggesting up to 90% of participants were involved, external auditors confirmed the fraud, forcing tough accountability measures. Though the program exceeded its funding targets and aimed to uplift local economies, this purge signals a critical pivot toward stricter oversight to ensure real beneficiaries—not shell…