The Boko-led administration has to tread carefully

Mmegi Editor | Monday September 14, 2026 06:00

‘When you make peace with

yourself, you make peace with the world’

- Maha Ghosananda

This may come at a huge cost if not handled properly. What started off on Labour Day in Letlhakane this year, where Boko was in attendance when the militant lawyer-cum-trade unionist, Robert Rabasimane rebutted the President’s address in defence of the trade union has seemingly spiralled out of control. The issue is now creating a cat-and-mouse type of a relationship between the union’s consultant Johnson Motshwarakgole, and Rabasimane who is a helmsman for the Manual Workers Union as its deputy CEO and chief negotiator and the State President.

It all started when the labour movement sang and danced to labour songs calling upon the Boko-led government to account for its actions in terms of many ‘unfulfilled’ 2024 election promises. Key is the shortfall in the creation of 100,000 jobs which is far from being fulfilled owing to the poor performing economy. This is partly because the mining-reliant economy is failing to deliver due to uncertainty in the global diamond market.

Perhaps, just out of a feeling that the labour movement was not appreciative of the efforts made by his administration even under trying circumstances, the President fired salvos at the ‘ungrateful’ trade unions to the chagrin of the head honchos of the labour movement. Subsequently, Rabasimane, who is also the secretary-general of a federation consisting mainly of public service trade unions known as BOFEPUSU (Botswana Federation of Public, Private & Parastatal Sector Unions) on the labour day took advantage as he spoke after the President. He took the opportunity to hit on the First Citizen, his party and government for what he termed the propensity to hoodwink Batswana with promises of job creation and failing to deliver. Rabasimane had a field day as he knew the President was done with his address and would not have a chance to respond. This was the beginning of animosity between Boko, Rabasimane and Motshwarakgole in particular.

To you Mr President, we have realised that tempers have been flaring up and just like the herein referred to trade union leaders you have been taking advantage of public appearances to hit at these leaders. As a First Citizen, we would like to encourage you to stop attacking them publicly and personally but instead use an appropriate platform to address concerns being raised and outline your government’s plan to deliver. Finding peace with each other could be yet another option. You need the labour movement and vice versa. We have also realised that some of your loyal supporters have declared war on Motshwarakgole and Rabasimane including State-owned Daily News, a first since the existence of the publication. Unfortunately, they are not bringing any solution. Our only warning to you, Mr President is that you should never undermine the strength of this over 40,000 strong Manual Workers and its peers. We therefore, encourage you to find peace with them now, than lose such an influential constituency.