High court reinstates expelled BONU Secretary General
The Gaborone High Court on Tuesday reinstated Botswana Nurses Union (BONU) Secretary General, Lebogang Phillip who had been expelled from the Central Committee of the Union during the annual conference that was held in Palapye three weeks ago.
Members of the Union were not happy about his performance as Secretary General during his tenure in office. He was then suspended pending investigations into issues raised by the forensic audit, including allegations of financial mismanagement on his part.
Phillip then filed an urgent application with the high court, challenging his suspension, saying the conference did not follow procedure before suspending him. Philip has been the Secretary General of BONU, having been duly elected into office on or around 18 June 2022 by the general membership. On the 30th of August 2023 BONU convened its annual general conference (AGC). A quorum was formed at the beginning of the meeting. On the second day of the AGC, on the 31st of August 2023, a motion to suspend Philip was raised from the floor and voted upon by branches instead of individual delegates. Philip was advised by his attorneys that under the Constitution neither the Central Executive Committee or the Annual General Conference has the power to suspend Central Executive Committee members. Therefore, according to the lawyers, BONU acted unlawfully in suspending him from his role.
Speaking to The Midweek Sun after his reinstatement, Philip stated that he is committed to serving the union, adding that union leaders should not be fighting themselves but rather focus on the challenges of the union to assist its members.