BLLAHWU fires its president

Oarabile Mosikare | Wednesday September 17, 2014 13:05

One of the country’s largest public sector unions, the Botswana Land Boards Local Authorities and Health Workers Union (BLLAHWU) has sunk into division after the dismissal of its president, who in turn claims his rivals do not have the power to take such a decision.

Yesterday the union applied for an urgent court order following the refusal by president Samuel Kedise to accede to the expulsion for allegedly not paying his subscriptions.  The matter is set before Lobatse High Court judge, Godfrey Nthomiwa.

In the court papers, the union said Kedise is not welcome or permitted to enter the BLLAHWU offices except as may be authorised in writing by the secretary general, Ketlhalefile Motshegwa. He has also been informed that he is not entitled to participate in the union’s affairs or receive the normal services associated with union membership.

The union also wants him to “immediately surrender all property of BLLAHWU that may be in his possession”.

The drama started with a September 9, 2014 letter written by union attorney, Joseph Akoonyatse, which BLLAHWU fired Kedise, arguing that his membership was not in order, as he had not been paying his subscriptions for seven months.

Akoonyatse states that, “We are further advised as follows; that in order for one to attain and remain in office within the structures of the union, one is required to be a member in good standing and in particular to be fully paid up as regards their union membership subscriptions”.

He said in terms of the BLLAHWU constitution, “Any member whose arrears exceed three months shall lose membership and forfeit all membership benefits.

Membership shall be regained through the CEC [Central Executive Committee] after payment of arrears and a re-admission fee”.

According to the letter Kedise fell foul of the provisions, as he had failed to pay union subscriptions over consecutive months from January 2014 to July 2014.

“This period is in excess of three months, and in terms of Article (5.4) above, you have lost membership of the union and forfeited all membership benefits.” The letter also claimed the executive committee invited Kedise to make a written response on the matter but he declined. “... We are instructed to inform you, as we hereby do, that the CEC of BLLAHWU considers that by your conduct you have voluntarily relinquished your membership of the union.”

Kedise, however, has not taken the matter lightly. On September 11, Kedise responded to the “misleading communiqué on BLLAHWU president’s membership status”.

In the letter to the regional and branch secretaries, he said it had come to his attention that the deputy secretary general, Keaoleboga Dipogiso, had made “very damning averment” to the effect that he had failed his constitutional obligation to subscribe as a union member.

“I reaffirm that contrary to the letter in issue, my membership is in good standing. In the same letter the deputy secretary general makes an assertion that they made a resolution as a Central Executive Committee. This flies in the face of common sense in that the meetings of the Central Executive Committee are presided over by the president therefore the purported resolution referred to by the deputy secretary general is of no force and effect and therefore in the same vain should be ignored because its purpose is to diametrically polarise the union and get rid of the person of the union,” said Kedise.

He said Dipogiso’s conduct and any executive member who associate themselves with it constitute indiscipline of the highest degree. “Following this unfortunate development, I wish to inform you that I, as a sitting president, am going to investigate this matter thoroughly with a view to determine the way forward, which would be in the best interest of the union.”

Yesterday, Kedise could not be drawn to discuss the matter any further. “I cannot comment on the matter. Please talk to the secretary general,” he said. Motshegwa could not be reached for comment, as he did not answer his mobile phone. Mmegi understands that Kedise has instructed Phillip Nyamambi to defend him in court.