Trade unionism, politics Siamese twins
Ryder Gabathuse | Monday February 14, 2022 06:00
As BLLAHWU, a public service trade union commemorates its 50th anniversary in September, its secretary-general Ketlhalefile Motshegwa has removed the ambiguity that often exists between trade unionism and politics.
Other trade unions have produced political activists of note like Botswana Mine Workers Union (BMWU) late former councillor, Elias Mbonini amongst others. Botswana Public Employees Union (BOPEU) has Andrew Motsamai who has shown interest in the Botswana National Front (BNF) politics.
Johnson Motshwarakgole, a long-serving Manual Workers Union executive also served the BNF and was once a councillor. His former colleague at Manual Workers Union, the late Gibson Nshimwe was formerly a councillor in Chobe as well as an elected MP. He dabbled in both trade unionism and party politics.
There was a time when Motshwarakgole and other trade unionists came up with a hit list of targeted politicians that they wanted to ensure lost the elections and true to their targets, many of the targeted could not make it. Other trade unions also have produced politicians who have contributed immensely to local politics.
“BLLAHWU has long taken a position on participating in politics. Trade unions by nature are political,” said Motshegwa, who himself contested for a parliamentary seat at the Gaborone Bonnington South in 2019 under the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) ticket and lost.
As a union, Motshegwa believes that they participate in political and socio-economic issues, where crucial decisions are made and therefore, they cannot be separated from political activism.
In the past, BLLAHWU influenced the federation, Botswana Federation of Public Private and Parastatal Sector Unions (BOFEPUSU) to support the UDC in elections especially at Goodhope/Mabule by-election where they assisted the UDC to win a seat that was predominantly the BDP stronghold. The BDP would later make a strong comeback and won the constituency in the following elections.
Motshegwa, who at some stage experienced resistance from some party members when he returned after the 2019 general election for his political beliefs, stressed that there is no time for neutrality when things are festering under the ruling BDP watch.
It is apparent that in 2014, BOFEPUSU supported the UDC in the general election, but in 2019 the federation chose to sit on the fence. But, because of the prevailing circumstances of today, come 2024 workers are not going to take things lying down.
Motshegwa, however, indicated that they encourage the trade unions to maintain their independence so that the political parties do not hijack their agenda and derail them.
In the past, former BLLAHWU president Gabatsoswe Lebitsa contested a parliamentary seat in Palapye under the ticket of the BNF and lost.
Goretetse Kekgonegile, another former BLLAHWU leader won the Maun East parliamentary seat in the 2019 general election and has since become one of the 12th Parliament’s robust debaters under the UDC.
Kekgonegile has also been very consistent in his debate, especially on labour matters and other national issues from an enlightened point of view.
In the north east, the UDC has a councillor called Mbaakanyi Smarts who previously was a BLLAHWU regional operative in the area. He won a council seat at Mosojane village in the 2019 General Election.
Motshegwa’s view is that as his union commemorates its 50th anniversary, political participation will continue to be sharply debated insisting that the question of trade unions partaking in local politics has long been settled in the 17th century.