The BONU Constitution prescribes for the CEC to convene a General National Congress every three years, at which members are given an opportunity to either elect a new executive or give the incumbent executive a fresh mandate. It was in recognition of these objectives and respect of the Constitution that the CEC convened the Congress. The BONU Constitution also prescribes for the CEC to present reports by the Secretary General and Treasurer General. It is these two reports that will inform delegates on the performance of the incumbent CEC and help them to make informed decisions when electing a new leadership to carry the Union forward. Sadly, the Secretary General and the Treasurer General were unable to present these very important reports to Congress, as they were interrupted by a select group of delegates that displayed unruly behaviour and interrupted proceedings.
The genesis of events was when suspended members of the CEC approached the courts in December 2015, alleging that the National General Congress was not called within the stipulated time and presenting other two matters intended to prohibit CEC from carrying out its mandate of developing existing infrastructure and increasing membership subscriptions to 1%. BONU filed in defence that they were still within the timeframe of 15 months as stipulated in the Employers and Trade Unions Organisation Act. The case was ruled in favour of the Union in all three counts, hence the emphasis to hold the Congress by March.
