Inside BOSETU’s hostile takeover

Daggers are out for Tobokani Rari, the Secretary General of BOSETU and his president, Winston Radikolo by forces seeking to vapourise the militant trade union and sanitise it ahead of the General Election slated for October, this publication has established.

After allegedly being able to capture some of the powerful public sector unions, the government - allegedly through the Office of the President, Botswana Democratic Party’s (BDP) Communications Committee and the Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS) - is said to have put in motion an operation to put a final nail on the Botswana Sectors of Educators Trade Union, Botswana Guardian has established.

A year after allegedly managing to remove some of the key figures at Botswana Federation of Public, Private and Parastatal Sectors Unions (BOFEPUSU) at the behest of external forces, the Botswana Guardian understands that the target has swung to both Tobokani Rari and his president, Winston Radikolo. After successfully engineering the ousting of the most influential Secretary General of BOFEPUSU, and his deputy Ketlhalefile Motshegwa last year, the ruling party, through the works of the notorious DIS, is understood to be at it again, this time to finish off their last year’s mission of securing the most influential trade unions to its side.

Botswana Guardian learns that the plan is to use last year’s BOFEPUSU elections strategy that claimed Rari, as a template to chop him (Rari) and Radikolo. Ahead of BOSETU elections end of this month, sources say the tails are up, that with the last push, the last of the Mohegans would fall, completing the ruling party’s full capture of the influential public Sector trade unions.

BOSETU goes for its National Executive Committee (NATEX) election at the end of this month. NATEX, which is chosen every three years, oversees BOSETU. The NATEX is responsible for setting the strategic direction of BOSETU and ensuring that its policies and activities are aligned with vision and mission.

Already the ruling party enjoys cosy relationships with the Botswana Teachers Union (BTU), since the militant Johannes Tshukudu was voted out, while the influential Johnson Motshwarakgole of the Manual Workers Union has become President Mokgweetsi Masisi’s loyalist, just like counterpart Masego Mogwera at Botswana Public Employees Union (BOPEU). Tshukudu was forced to step down as BOFEPUSU President after his union, BTU threatened to withhold its subscription to the federation if he does not step down since he was no longer BTU President. Tshukudu had crossed swords with the current regime on many occasions as the leader of the

federation.

But the problem remains BOSETU with its 'fearless radicals', Rari and Radikolo, who continue to rub government and the ruling party the wrong way. The duo’s latest move to launch a manifesto for political parties spelling out the failures of the ruling party and government in delivering quality education, is understood to have been received with disgust.

Worse, at the launch of their manifesto BOSETU allowed all the opposition parties, namely the Botswana National Front (BNF), Umbrella For Democratic Change (UDC), the Botswana Congress Party (BCP), and their representatives to take turns and bash the ruling party on a platform that was live streamed to the public. Rari is also the Coordinator of the five cooperating public sector Unions which have been at loggerheads with the employer Directorate of Public Service Management (DPSM) on salary increment, PERMANDU Report implementation and resuscitation of the Public Service Bargaining Council (PSBC).

The ruling party is also said to be concerned by BOSETU’S tendency to finance private media houses to go around the country and stage political debates that give the opposition some breath of life. BOSETU has also been observed to habitually turn down requests for donations from the ruling party. Radikolo confirmed that he recently had a ruling party official knocking on his door for donations.

“I wouldn’t say I turned him down, but I referenced him to a different structure of the Union, since I don’t handle such requests,” Radikolo said when contacted.

For his part Rari acknowledged that the ruling party got a roasting at the BOSETU manifesto launch, but said the intention was never to expose the BDP government, but to advocate for a robust education policy for our children and the nation as a whole.

“We acknowledge that the opposition came in droves at that event and turned up the volume but we didn’t necessarily seek to parade a particular political party,” Rari added. To fix this problem, the plan is to finance the rival faction fat, and splash money for votes at the elections in Palapye so that Rari and Radikolo are kicked out.

According to those in the know, this template worked to good effect last year when the forces successfully toppled Rari at the BOFEPUSU Congress and installed good people that have rendered BOFEPUSU peaceful to government up to this day. Three years ago, BOSETU had to fight off a similar infiltration cooked from Molepolole, and allegedly led by a faction enjoying the support of State President Minister, Kabo Morwaeng, who is once again understood to be itching to see a less militant BOSETU, without hotheads as the ruling party prepares for the 2024 general election.

Minister Morwaeng however denies any involvement on union matters, saying Government has cordial and professional relations with all trade unions and not necessarily the individuals within them.

“The Office of the President and DIS have no place or role in trade union politics. So the rumour is untrue. As for the claim regarding BDP’s role, the Secretary General can be contacted, but I know for a fact that BDP takes no active part in Trade Union politics, save for working with the incumbent leadership of all unions”.

Morwaeng added, “As a politician and long serving community leader, I have built and continue to maintain relations with many people across political parties, unions, churches, community among others.

“But my association with any of the people I know has nothing to do with their roles/ambitions in their respective organisations. It’s purely professional in most cases,” he said amidst the strong opinion that the rival camp is enjoying his support and backing.

“⁠I do not have any lobby that I am supporting as I am not a member of BOSETU. BOSETU members are well placed to elect their own leaders based on their own preferences,” Morwaeng said when responding to the allegations.

A member of the ruling party’s Communications and International Relations Sub-Committee of the Central Committee, whose name has been withheld, is identified as one of the brains at work in the push against Rari and Radikolo, after BOSETU refused to yield to a request to donate to the ruling party’s coffers.

Meanwhile, the DIS Public Relations Director Edward Roberts denied any DIS hand in the push against the influential figures. In his response, Roberts said, “My office is not aware of anything to do with national security implication regarding BOSETU elections that will warrant DIS interest.

“Section 5 of the DIS Act spells out in no uncertain terms what the functions of the DIS are in a democracy such as ours, and deciding who takes what position in BOSETU leadership structures does not form part of our mandate, that is for BOSETU members to decide.”

BDP Communications and International Relations Committee Chairman, Kagelelo Kentse dismissed the claim arguing that, “this is all propaganda aimed at tarnishing the good name of our party because we never get involved in any organisation’s internal processes.”

Under the current leadership, BOSETU’s non-ending feuds with Government are legendary; from the annual battles with Botswana Examinations Council over quality of payment of teachers marking the examination papers, the current teachers’ tools down in school sports until teachers’ roles are well compensated, the current standoff with government over public officers’ salary increases, BOSETU has been involved in some of the gruesome battles with government.