Andrew Motsamai: Building institutions beyond personalities

With more than three decades in public service, Andrew Motsamai’s career reflects a steady progression through frontline service delivery, academic leadership, labour relations, and institutional governance.His journey, which began in 1992 as a Medical Laboratory Technician under the Ministry of Health, has been shaped by a consistent focus on institutional stability and governance reform.Motsamai began his career after completing a Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology at the Institute of Health Sciences. Years later, he furthered his qualifications with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Laboratory Medicine from RMIT University in Australia.His academic training extended beyond laboratory sciences into management, research, statistics and systems administration, disciplines that, according to Motsamai, sharpened his understanding of governance systems and institutional design.After returning from Australia in 2006, he joined the Institute of Health Sciences as a Senior Lecturer and was later elevated to Principal Lecturer.During this period, he contributed to curriculum development and academic administration, gaining leadership experience within a structured public institution.Motsamai explains that this phase of his career deepened his appreciation for systems, documentation, and procedural accountability.Parallel to his professional work, Motsamai became deeply involved in organised labour beginning in 1998. He served as President of the Botswana Public Employees Union (BOPEU) for ten years and was the FoundingPresident, later Secretary General, of BOFEPUSU.As Chief Negotiator in public sector collective bargaining processes, he played a role in efforts to formalise structured bargaining frameworks, including early steps toward establishing the Public Service Bargaining Council (PSBC).Reflecting on that experience, Motsamai notes that fragmented negotiations often weaken institutions. He argues that durable collective bargaining depends on clear rules, stable procedures and mutual respect between stakeholders.According to Motsamai, structured frameworks provide predictability and fairness, which are essential for labour stability.His governance credentials extend beyond labour relations. For a decade, Motsamai served as a Board Member of the Botswana Public Officers Pension Fund (BPOPF), where he chaired the Human Resource Sub-Committee and sat on the Investment Sub-Committee.These roles required fiduciary oversight, risk management and adherence to corporate governance principles. Motsamai explains that board service reinforced his commitment to transparency, compliance and financial discipline.Most recently, he has been serving as Deputy District Commissioner under the Ministry of State President, coordinating government programmes and supporting national development priorities at district level.The position has required administrative oversight and interdepartmental coordination an experience he believes aligns with the operational demands of reviving the PSBC.On the role of Secretary of the PSBC, Motsamai is clear about its limitations and responsibilities.He emphasises that the Secretary is not a decision maker in bargaining outcomes but an administrative officer tasked with facilitating meetings, maintaining records, ensuring procedural compliance and safeguarding financial governance.“The authority rests with Council members, not the Secretariat,” Motsamai explains, underscoring the importance of institutional neutrality.With the PSBC being revived after a prolonged period of inactivity, Motsamai believes the immediate priority is establishing what he calls a “credible administrative backbone.”This includes putting financial governance systems in place, operationalising case management processes and ensuring that union admission and verification procedures are transparent and consistent. Institutional stability,he argues, must precede expansion.Regarding concerns surrounding his appointment and the ongoing court proceedings, Motsamai maintains a measured stance. He respects the judicial process and refrains from commenting on matters before the court.However, he observes that litigation, while potentially delaying implementation, can clarify legal boundaries and ultimately strengthen institutional legitimacy.At the heart of his vision is the rebuilding of trust between employer and unions. According to Motsamai, trust is foundational to any effective bargaining framework. Without it, even well designed systems falter.He believes that consistency, transparency and strict adherence to procedure are the only sustainable ways to restore confidence in the PSBC.Motsamai outlines the principles that would guide his leadership as discipline, neutrality, transparency and respect for collective processes. He emphasises a commitment to lawful governance and long term institutional stability over short-term contestation.“The goal is not to win arguments,” Motsamai says. “The goal is to build a functioning institution that outlives personalities.”In a public service environment often marked by tension and reform debates, Andrew Motsamai’s message is one of structure over spectacle, a call to strengthen institutions as the enduring foundation of stable labour relations.

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Andrew Motsamai: Building institutions beyond personalities