Response To Tobokani Rari
Correspondent | Monday May 30, 2016 15:48
We are refusing to accept Rari’s views and onslaught(s) as those of BOFEPUSU; we hold him individually accountable. For how long should we explain that differing with BOFEPUSU has nothing to do with being in cohorts with the Government? It is grossly unfair to sensationalise issues to fit individual agendas, whenever a differing view comes to the table for debate. There are many issues that we agree with as trade unions, both within and outside BOFEPUSU. Interestingly, when we agree on these issues, we are not labelled to be friends of the BOFEPUSU family.
Amazingly, when we differ on an isolated matter we are labelled friends of the Government. As an example of the many instances, recently, BOFEPUSU took the employer to court on the issue of the unilateral 3% wage increase. The court ruled in favour of BOFEPUSU and ordered that members of BOFEPUSU should not be made party to the 3% salary increase. We have congratulated BOFEPUSU publicly, as we believe in the right to legal fairness. Interestingly, in our support and congratulations to BOFEPUSU, we have not been labelled anti-government. Rari suggests that the only correct thing we shall ever do is to throw away our independent integrity and dance to the BOFEPUSU tune; no matter the unpalatable taste. This is not only grossly selective and unfair; it is equally unjust and counter-revolutionary as it eludes the spirit of debate and engagement. Rari must know that when he perpetuates the untruths that BOPEU is in cohorts with the Government, as has been the case since this whole matter began, he is unfortunately rather confirming that BOFEPUSU is politically aligned. This has been a burning issue since the 2011 civil service strike. We have overtime been very clear that we are not in agreement with aligning trade unionism with political activism. This seems to be a crime to some leaders within BOFEPUSU who are obviously focused on using BOFEPUSU members, its societal standing and its finances for personal political gains. We are aware that some of the BOFEPUSU leaders are already busy getting ready for the 2019 general elections.
This is a point that vindicates that which we have already been positing all along, that Comrades such as Rari, who in particular is getting ready to contest one of the Shashe Constituencies, are not happy that we at BOPEU are of a strong view that intertwining trade unionism and political activism will have a gross negative impact in advocating for the rights and welfare of the workers. We continue to assert that our resolution not to politically align was and remains inspired by a simple fact that within our unions, BOFEPUSU sister unions included are; BNF, BMD, BDP, BPP, BCP members. Further, that there are those who are not politically aligned, and we should leave the choice of political alignment to individuals. We believe this approach would not cause divisions within the movement. We note for instance, that during the 2014 general elections, other selfless revolutionary comrades like Goretetse Kekgonegile who wanted to contest under the Botswana Congress Party ticket yet BOFEPUSU could not rally enough support simply because they were not aligned to the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC). BOFEPUSU fiercely and brutally contested against him. In his fit of vitrolics, Rari ropes in his erstwhile politician and a leading counterfeit analyst Spencer Mogapi of the Sunday Standard fame.
We did not and we will not favour Mogapi with a reply simply because of his hypocritical tendencies. As a Union, we have a problem with semi-professionals who have a penchant to overrate themselves. It is for this that we cannot help but notice that Cde Rari is not alone in this ruthless journey to tarnish BOPEU’s image. It becomes difficult to separate Rari’s agenda and that of Mogapi when in their diatribe they use the same words, tone and tempo as if it comes from a rehearsed agreement.
We are indeed not surprising that Mogapi’s name has come up as a possible parliamentary candidate to one of the Tonota Constituencies. It is worth noting that these names are mentioned under the banner of the UDC, a political institution. We have refused to politically align towards the 2014 general elections, a resolution that still stands until the members of BOPEU resolves otherwise. We are not surprised that Cde Rari has been hopping from one station to another lying through his teeth without shame. It is further shocking that some of the media houses, have elected to continue to give abundant airtime and space to Cde Rari and friends to peddle untruthful diatribes and a concoction of well-crafted lies about BOPEU being used by Government. It is still shocking that to this day and age, there has never been evidence or a demand for Rari and his cartel to provide the same. The truth of the matter is that, it is BOFEPUSU that has been captured by politicians masquerading as unionists. In essence the BOFEPUSU ship that set sail in 2009 has now been highjacked by a group of hooligan political sea pirates who in desperation are willing to do anything even if it means sinking the ship.
In his hopping from one radio station to another, seemingly to blame BOPEU for not
supporting his Shashe Constituency bid, Rari has even referred to BOPEU as a arival union. We do not know the exact meaning of that. We can only assume. But we wish to point out that we are friends with individual unions, within and outside BOFEPUSU. We still consider BOFEPUSU a very good friend that co-occupies the space of advocating for the rights and welfare of workers, not the personal political entities whose political ambitions are dependent on their painful pushing of their agendas into the objectives of the collective with outmost disregard for future negative implications.
Yours in the Worker’s Struggle,
Cde. Topias Marenga
bopeumediareach@gmail.com / communications@bopeu.co.bw