BFTU, BOFEPUSU not involved in BLP formation

FRANCISTOWN: Secretary-general of the Botswana Federation of Trade Unions (BFTU), Thusang Butale says the federation was not involved in the political formation of the Botswana Labour Party (BLP).

According to a recent BLP press release, “The party will focus on struggles of the working class, reject the BDP {Botswana Democratic Party} neo-liberal policies and work with labour unions, civic society groups, and other progressive parties to forge for true emancipation of the people of Botswana, continent, and the world.”

Speaking to The Monitor on Friday, Butale said that although the name of Botswana’s new entrant in politics suggests that it has the promotion of the interests of workers as one of its core values, BFTU was nonetheless not involved in its formation.

“As a federation, we were not involved in the formation of BLP. We are of the view that most labour parties around the world were formed through the involvement or input of labour movements. But in the case of BLP, we were not involved in its formation and we have not been officially informed about its formation. We are, however, not against its formation because it gives people the freedom of choosing which party to support. Its formation also promotes the spirit of democracy,” said Butale.

Butale’s sentiments were echoed by spokesperson of the Botswana Federation of Public, Private and Parastatal Sector Unions (BOFEPUSU), Mogomotsi Motshegwa. Motshegwa said that BOFEPUSU was not informed about the formation of BLP although they are not necessarily saying that they should have been invited when BLP was formed.

“However, our humble view is that all over the world, parties that advance the interests of the working class are formed with the input of the labour movement. We feel that it was very important for the BLP to have informed us to get our views about their formation,” said Motshegwa. He added that BOFEPUSU is not against the formation of BLP since its founders have a constitutional and democratic right of doing so.

The trade unionist also said that the mushrooming of political parties in Botswana, however, does not bode well for democracy.

Already other opposition parties, Motshegwa explained, have pro-labour policies but they are now fighting amongst themselves.

This, Motshegwa said, is not helping the cause of any interested stakeholders.

“The mushrooming of political parties in Botswana in the quest to speak for the interests of workers does not help because they are already fragmented.

We need a united opposition that has checks and balances to make the ruling party accountable to the nation. But in this state when opposition parties are fragmented and fighting amongst themselves, who is going to make the ruling party accountable? Our view is that opposition parties should bury their differences since they are not fundamental. We need a united opposition that can influence public policy but in the current state, it is difficult for the public to take them seriously as governments-in-waiting because they keep on arguing about trivial issues,” Motshegwa stated, who also implored opposition parties to look at the bigger picture.

● We are however not against its formation —BFTU

● Mushrooming of parties not healthy for workers’ cause —BOFEPUSU