‘Don’t vote for these men’

Botswana Federation of Public Sector Unions (BOFEPUSU) is urging its members to make labour issues a political litmus test in the 2014 general election, asking them not to vote for any politician they deem unfriendly towards labour issues.

BOFEPUSU’s impassioned plea comes at a time when political parties are preparing to hold primary election. The unions are also at logger heads with government over inflationary adjustment. The union  made an appeal to its swelling membership, which currently exceeds 100 000 and urged them to judge Members of Parliament by how they show interest in labour issues and how they responded in parliament during a protracted Essesntial Services strike debate in 2011. A retreat held at Desert Sands Hotel in Palapye over the weekend emphasised the importance of engaging workers in ensuring that they vote politicians who are symphathetic to their cause during primary election and general election. BOFEPUSU will also engage an expert to “assist how 2014 election should be approached” by workers.

“It is on this basis that the workers should vote as a block,’’ read part of BOFEPUSU notes. The union has been involved in a protracted labour dispute with government and lost a landmark case against the latter. BOFEPUSU argued that the 2014 general election should be a litmus test for politicians and that voting pattern by union members will be motivated by “the conduct of MPs and cabinet ministers during the 2011 industrial action and contributions of MPs on Essential Service motion.”

The retreat pulled no punches on six Botswana Democratric Party (BDP) politicians, also cabinet ministers urging its members to vote them out in the next general election in the next 14 months. The list is expected to increase, but currently the following have been identified; Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration Mokgweetsi Masisi, Minister of Health, Dr. John Seakgosing, Minister of Sport, Youth and Culture, Shaw Kgathi, Minister of Labour and Home Affairs, Edwin Batshu, Asistant Minister of Health, Gaotlhaetse Matlhabaphiri and Gaborone south MP, Kagiso Molatlhegi. In 2009 general election, Kgathi won with a margin of about 800 votes to Botswana Congress Party (BCP) Taolo Lucas. Kgathi was not available for comment on Wednesday.  Batshu garnered about 1400 more votes to BCP’s Batisani Maswibilili in Nkange constituency and could not be moved by BOFEPUSU threat.

“I really value them,” he said explaining that since becoming minister he has been advocating for conducive working environment for workers. “When I took over, there were burning issues but I managed to address them,” he said. It is not the first time the union makes an appeal for his political demise, he observed.
Little known Molatlhegi, who narrowly defeated Botswana National Front’s Akanyang Magama with less then 500 votes, also appeared unfazed by BOFEPUSU’s intended campaign to dislodge him from Gaborone South. He supports BDP programmes because “it is the right thing to do.” “It is their decision and I cannot stop them,” he said nonchalantly. For his part, Matlhabaphiri appeared to have been touched by the union's plans to sink him.

The Molepolole North legislator defeated BNF candidate, Mahommed Khan with a margin of over 600 votes in 2009. He is against those who judge him on the basis of his position. “I am bound by decisions of the cabinet,” he said. He urged BOFEPUSU to open dialogue and reach out to him if they have a problem with him as he is a member of a Labour Committee in his constituency. 

Masisi floored BCP’s Sethibe Sethibe with a margin of over 4000 votes to run away with Moshupa constituency. Seakgosing also humiliated BNF’s Kopano Rannatshe with a wide margin of over 2000 votes in Kweneng South constituency, according to 2009 general election report. Both Masisi and Seakgosi could not be reached for comment.In BOFEPUSU’s view, it is important to continue to monitor other politicians, including opposition MPs.

In the past the director of Directorate of Public Service Management (DPSM) Carter Morupisi has reiterated that public service workers are not allowed to be active in politics. The Palapye retreat however, took a decision to engage experts on how BOFEPUSU should approach the 2014 general election. “We might form an alliance with a political party depending on the advice from the experts. We have agreed that political parties should be visited to hear their views with respect to labour issues,” said the report, adding that campaigns for appeal to register kickstart this week by placing advertisements in newspapers. BOFEPUSU  Secretary General Tobokani Rari confirmed the retreat. “I cannot comment further as the report has not yet been presented to the governing council.”

BOFEPUSU membership comprises five major public sector unions such as Botswana Landboards and Local Government Workers Union, Botswana Teachers Union, Manual Worlers Union and Botswana Educartors Sector Trade Union and Botswana Public Sector Employees Union.