BOFEPUSU tells BCP, BMD:

CHAKALISA DUBE
Staff Writer | Friday May 3, 2013 00:00

 

FRANCISTOWN: The Botswana Federation of Public Sectors Union (BOFEPUSU) is not affiliated to any political body but has the right to encourage its members to subscribe to ideologies of a party that has the interest of the union at heart.

The union labour secretary Johnson Motshwarakgole made the remarks here on Wednesday where a few of the union members had gathered to celebrate the workers day.'We are going to vote for leaders who share our concerns and show greater will to address them across all parties.

Yo oo buang ka rona a thwaafetse re mo kolota thopo (political leaders who share our concerns and are eager to deal with them have our support,' he said.True to his character, Motshwarakgole who never shies away from making statements that attract controversy, did it again on Wednesday.Perhaps in a veiled attack towards the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) he said:

'Those (union members) of you who have family members who subscribe to a party that does not subscribe to the ideologies that can best serve this nation, should hide their (family members) identity cards on Election Day so that they do not vote. 'Letla abo le sa bolaya ope e tla bo ele tsela nngwe ya go ba golola. Ga re ye go tlhopa batho ba ba sa re emang sentle.

 (By seizing their ID's you will not be culpable of murdering anyone.

It will be one way of liberating. We (BOFEPUSU) are not going to vote those who do not share our concerns).'For example if the opposition led Gaborone City Council (GCC) continues to come up with non-conducive regulations for citizens like they did recently, we (BOFEPUSU) will not be exercising our vote properly during Election Day when we do not vote the BDP to take over the GCC,' the BOFEPUSU fire brand said.

In a brief interview yesterday Motshwarakgole said that his statements (that union members should seize their family member's identity cards) are not solely directed to the BDP but to all political parties in the country.BOFEPUSU and the BDP government are traditional rivals. The union believes that the BDP led government does not subscribe to the ideologies of the working class.

The BOFEPUSU labour secretary also said that the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) and the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) should thoroughly explain to them why they cannot merge as the elections day approaches.'We want to make a choice between a united opposition and the BDP,' he said.'If there is no party that can serve our interest we (BOFEPUSU) will have to form our own party,' Motshwarakgole said.

Masego Mogwera the BOFEPUSU president earlier on in her brief appearance at the Wednesday commemorations urged members to go and vote at the next general elections.'Civil servants have a tradition of not voting. Next year you should make your vote count by voting in the elections. 'Encourage fellow union members to register for the next year general elect ions,' she said.