BOMU holds AGM tomorrow
Sharon Mathala | Friday August 7, 2015 14:43
Tempers are expected to flare as the local musician mouthpiece votes for its new president, if at all there will be change from its current leadership. Other positions up for grabs are of vice president, finance, research, and executive member.
Before the elections, the outgoing leadership will present to its members their progress and financial reports. They would be accounting for all the monies spent, as well as deliberate on the promises they made when they took office.
But the outgoing headship has revealed to Arts & Culture that although they had a few constraints, they have managed to make BOMU the most sought-after union for local artistes.
BOMU secretary general, Pagson Ntsie, said the outgoing leadership has amongst others achieved the greatest goal yet, of nurturing relationships with other developed countries in the music industry.
He explained that by so doing, most local artists now get bookings outside the country.
Ntsie further told Arts & Culture that in their bid to raise funds for the union they have set up the first ever, Miss BOMU, which will be an annual event.
“The beauty pageant, which is scheduled for this coming month is another initiative to raise funds for the union,” said Ntsie, who also revealed that he believes that their annual awards dubbed BOMU awards were also successful.
“Last year’s awards ceremony was successful, we were happy with it, BOMU members also had no queries, and its another success story that the outgoing leadership prides itself in,” he said.
Ntsie, however, noted that some of the challenges they encountered and have been advocating for are the labour laws, which BOMU believes negatively affect the growth of local artists.
“You see what’s worth noting is that the country is at a point where it is diversifying the economic status of the country, but on our part. If trading hours are hindering our performances it is indirectly killing us,” he explained.
But the man running for president, who last year received a lot of media attention for his “failed annual Mascom Booster Bash” project, Seabelo Modibe, differs with BOMU’s secretary general.
In his manifesto, Modibe cited, “As an organisation we must not wait for September 2016. The year 2016 marks 10 years of the Copyright Act, and the 15th year anniversary of BOMU”.
Hence we should take 2016 to be, “The Year of the Music Industry.”
We must not wait for government or corporate funding to start our 2016 programme. If elected as the president of BOMU on January 10, 2016 I will embark on a 50km walk from Molepolole to Gaborone. Through this walk I will issue out 1,000 forms to different companies and individuals who support the music industry to raise donations, and each form should be returned with P100 and raise P100,000 in the process.”
Modibe also submitted, “It is my opinion that BOMU has served its purpose and it is now time to re-engineer a new mandate. A new mandate that I will need to present at the special general meeting in September or October 2015. This new mandate will be to transform BOMU into a brand new animal called ‘Botswana Music Industry Organisation.’’
Modibe will be vying for the top post at BOMU against Michael Mmusi and Tekere Garero, by end of business Wednesday it was still not clear if the current BOMU president, Bafana ‘Phempheretlhe’ Pheto would try his luck and defend his post.
The AGM will be held at the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture in Gaborone tomorrow.