Maseru — Sources close to the utility sector reveal that Peo Mputsoe, procurement manager at the Lesotho Electricity Company (LEC), was coerced into resigning after two rural-electrification contracts were allegedly pressured by the Ministry of Energy to be awarded to companies owned by MPs from the governing Revolution for Prosperity (RFP). The identities of the MPs are known to this publication but are being withheld for now.
According to sources, the pressure came directly from the Principal Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, Tankiso Phapano, who demanded that the contracts be awarded to the named companies rather than via open and competitive procurement. Mputsoe reportedly refused and was subsequently pushed out.
While Phapano did not respond to repeated questions from this newspaper, Mputsoe likewise declined to comment, citing company and legal constraints.
Procurement irregularities at LEC: A disturbing track record
The story gains traction when viewed against the backdrop of documented procurement failures at LEC. For example, in one major scandal a contract worth M1.2 million was awarded for four-core cable to a QwaQwa-based company with no visible ties to the electrical sector. The cable supplier lacked certification from the NRCS or SABS and the entire process was handled directly by Mputsoe without proper tendering and oversight.
Further, the Public Accounts Committee charged Mputsoe with ignoring procurement regulations, opening bid boxes without bidders present, relying on limited competitive tendering when that did not seem justified, and awarding tenders using “emergency” procurement when standard procedures were viable.
Against that record, the alleged demand by Phapano for specific companies to receive contracts raises grave questions about governance, transparency and accountability in Lesotho’s power sector.
Phapano himself was strongly reprimanded by the PAC for meddling in the affairs of LEC, a private company with its own Board of Directors and Management. Foolishly Phapano had made a remark that he has the power over LEC.
Why this matters
Contracts for rural electrification should strengthen service delivery, increase access to electricity and reduce poverty in remote areas. But if contract awards are being driven by political or personal interests rather than merit, the country loses on three fronts:
- Technical capacity and institutional integrity: When a senior procurement manager with experience resists irregular demands and is forced out, the institutional memory and internal resistance to mal-practice erode.
- Stakeholder trust: International partners such as the World Bank or regional utilities expect procurement transparency. A pattern of interference by senior ministry officials damages that trust.
- Financial risk: As previous procurement scandals at LEC show, inflated costs, poor suppliers and lack of documentation lead to fiscal leakage and higher cost for consumers.
The unanswered questions
- Did Phapano formally instruct Mputsoe to award the contracts to the RFP-linked companies or was it informal pressure?
- Were the two rural electrification contracts tendered publicly, or was the process manipulated to favour the preferred companies?
- Have the RFP-linked companies met the technical standards and eligibility required for contracts of this type?
- What is the status of the investigation into the earlier cable procurement scandal and how does this recent allegation connect?
Response sought and silence received
When approached, PS Phapano did not provide a response by publication time. The office of the Ministry of Energy acknowledged receipt of our queries but offered only that “the ministry will respond in due course”. Mputsoe also declined to be interviewed, stating he was bound by LEC policy not to speak to media on personnel matters.
Conclusion
If the allegations hold true, this episode would be yet another sign that governance systems at both LEC and the Ministry of Energy are malfunctioning. Lesotho can ill afford to see its rural-electrification drive hijacked for political favouritism. Basotho deserve that contracts be awarded on merit, that spending is justified, and that public servants who raise the alarm are protected, not punished. The bigger question now: Will Parliament and oversight institutions step in or allow this to become just another scandal that fades away?
