'Stability Reigns Ahead Of BOPEU Congress'
Goitsemodimo Kaelo | Tuesday December 7, 2021 06:00
The union is set to hold its national congress from December 6-9, 2021, to amongst others elect new office bearers. Five candidates including the incumbent Masego Mogwera, are expected to battle it out for the presidency of the union.
While BOPEU has endured endless factional wars since the last congress for the control of the union, Marenga says there is peace within the union ahead of the congress.
Marenga told The Monitor yesterday that although election campaigns may stoke ‘wars’ on their own, they have endured peaceful campaigns this term.
“Like any contest, it cannot be a bed of roses. We all know that campaigns can degenerate into something else. But at the end of the day, BOPEU will be a victor at the end of the congress. As you know, the union has endured a difficult spell marred by court battles,” he said. “However, after the pronouncements by the court that all decisions taken from 2019 were unlawful, the union has moved on to attain stability.”
Over 500 delegates are expected to attend the virtual congress from five different places including Gaborone, Maun, Francistown, Kang as well as Palapye.
Marenga said they have representatives from the Health Services Workers Union from Ghana, COSATU, Namibia Public Workers Union (NAPWU), Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU), and National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union.
The congress is scheduled to begin with the arrival of delegates and the appointment of the Motions and Resolutions Committee on Sunday. On Monday, it will be the adoption of the agenda and organisation’s report by the secretary-general, giving an update on the state of affairs of the union. There will also be presentations of the Financial and Trustees reports.
Marenga said there would also be presentations from the Office of the President on the Reset Agenda as well as Botswana Public Officers Medical Aid Scheme and Botswana Public Officers Pensions Fund.
The most interesting part of the congress will take place on Thursday when the delegates will elect a new committee to lead the union for the next two years. The elections are expected to provide an interesting contest for positions after years of court battles between warring factions for the control of the union.
President Mokgweetsi Masisi will officially open the congress on Tuesday, while his counterpart from the Umbrella for Democratic Change Duma Boko is set to officially close the congress on Thursday.