PATA HII MPYA

Gaborone- The leader of the opposition coalition, Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), Duma Boko has revealed that they have received a number of requests from other opposition parties in the African continent to lecture them on their successful cooperation as opposition parties.
Boko made the revelation at an event where his party hosted the Botswana Federation of Public Sector Unions (BOFEPUSU) in Gaborone as part of its effort to engage the civil society on a number of issues.
Speaking to reporters on a wide range of issues, Boko said the opposition leadership is due in Namibia to hold a meeting with opposition parties in that country on how best they can form a model similar to them.
According to Boko, a considerable number of political organisations across the African continent view them as a good model of coalition.
“We have received invitations from Namibian opposition parties who want us to school them on the umbrella model. We will have a meeting with opposition parties in that country on how best they can unite as an opposition. We have also been approached by some other opposition parties from the continent to school them on the same idea,” said Boko.
Boko who seemed impressed with the requests added that: “nations are benchmarking and who knows maybe one day we will be seen as gurus in that aspect of opposition coalition. A lot of organisations across Africa see us as a good model of opposition coalition.”
The UDC is made up of Botswana National Front (BNF), Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) and Botswana People’s Party (BPP).
The parties have 17 seats in Parliament, a feat that has never been achieved by opposition parties in Botswana since independence from Britain in 1966.
Another opposition, the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) which intends to join UDC has three MPs while the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) has 37 seats.
On their envisaged alliance with BOFEOUSU, Boko said that they intend to also unite the unions in the country so that they speak with one voice.
“In fact we should be able to do that amongst our civil society. We should engage in aggregate politics,” said Boko.
Asked by one of the reporters if their envisaged alliance was not a marriage of convenience, Boko explained that the alliance would be founded on common and shared values.
“Even if we were to assume power in 2019, we would like to see the unions holding us accountable. We believe that the unions and our party have the interest of workers at heart,” said Boko.
He said they approached BOFEPUSU and suggested some proposals which include among others the formation of a high level committee comprising the leadership of the two organisations.
According to Boko, the committee would comprise of among others UDC President and BOFEPUSU secretary for Labour Affairs.
“We also proposed that the high level committee should meet on a monthly basis and deliberate on issues of national interest and be responsive to issues that affect the country,” he said.
He said BOFEPUSU is expected to reflect on the proposals they submitted and give the party feedback.
Boko said at the request of UDC, they convened a meeting with BOFEPUSU’s leadership to reflect on a number of issues affecting the country.
“We believe that the unions should not be held hostage because they represent values that we espouse as a party. We know that there is a relentless onslaught on everybody by government,” he said.
Boko said, unlike the ruling party, they believe that the unions should participate and shape matters of national interest instead accusing them of being involved in active politics.
“We believe that the civil society should be at the forefront of shaping the future of this country. They shouldn’t be shut out of the democratic space because they represent the workers’ interests,” he said.
For his part, BOFEPUSU Secretary General Tobokani Rari confirmed that UDC has since submitted proposals to them so that they have a working relationship.
“They approached us and had a meeting with them. We intend to have a joint committee where the two of us will share ideas, articulate labour issues faced by workers in this country. We will revert to UDC after consulting our structures,” said Rari.
He also added that they won’t be held hostage by UDC should it assume power saying the union’s interest was the welfare of workers which they want addressed in a fair manner.
According to Rari, they have always made it public that they would work with any political party that has the interest of the workers at heart.
“Should such a party negates its promises and launch an onslaught on the workers then we will have no option but to ditch it and deal with it during the elections,” he said.
Just like the UDC, BOFEPUSU is a coalition of major public service unions. Its members are the Botswana Land boards and Local Government Workers Union, Botswana Teachers Union, Manual Workers Union and Botswana Educators Sector Trade Union and Botswana Public Sector Employees Union.