The National Amalgamated Local, Central Government and Parastatal Manual Workers’ Union has criticized the government over the appointment of Motlatsi Molapisi as presidential advisor. The union describes the move as opaque, questionable and symptomatic of broader governance failures under the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC).
In a newly released report titled A Clarion Crying Voice: UDC Government Failures, the union claims the appointment was made without public disclosure and raises serious concerns about transparency, public spending and adherence to proper government procedures.
‘As a union we are shocked that his appointment as advisor to the president was not made public,’ the report states.
The workers’ organisation says the Molapisi appointment illustrates what it sees as a growing pattern of controversial governance decisions under the current administration, which it accuses of drifting away from the reformist principles that helped propel the UDC into power during the 2024 general elections.
The union argues that the advisory position raises questions about whether the role was properly budgeted for and whether it is justified at a time when the country is grappling with high unemployment and economic uncertainty.
‘This money could pay 10 or 12 youth per month,’ the report argues.
While the Molapisi appointment forms a central focus of the union’s criticism, the report also broadens its attack to include allegations of corruption, nepotism and abandoned democratic reforms.
According to the union, the government has yet to demonstrate meaningful progress in tackling what it describes as the ‘tripartite ills’ undermining public trust in governance.
‘The UDC government has a lot to do in order to restore Batswana’s confidence on the eradication of the tripartite ills of corruption, nepotism and favouritism,’ the report states.
One of the key concerns raised by the union is the increasing use of direct tender awards without competitive bidding, a practice it argues creates fertile ground for corruption and misuse of public funds. ‘The awarding of direct tenders. has become a major point of contention and pointer to government sponsored corruption,’ the report says.
The union argues that bypassing competitive procurement processes undermines transparency and accountability in public spending. ‘This unorthodox method creates a calculated environment ripe for cronyism and misuse of public resources,’ the report warns.
The publication also points to what it describes as questionable government contracts awarded to companies with limited track records.
According to the union, one example involved a P662 million tender awarded to a company registered only months before the services were advertised. ‘This raises questions about capacity and dubious connections,’ the report states.
Critics within the union say such decisions represent a departure from the accountability and transparency that the UDC promised voters while campaigning for power.
The report argues that the ruling coalition previously criticised similar governance practices under the former administration but now appears to be repeating them. ‘Every time the UDC is cautioned about a potential corruption episode. the current government immediately justifies that by citing what the BDP did previously,’ the report states.
‘Is this not what led to people voting out BDP and replacing it with UDC?’ it asks.
Beyond procurement controversies and disputed appointments, the union has also accused the government of failing to implement key constitutional reforms that were central to its campaign platform. According to the report, the UDC’s electoral victory in 2024 was partly driven by widespread public support for constitutional reform aimed at strengthening democratic institutions.
‘Failure to trigger a comprehensive national constitutional review. is a serious miscarriage of trust to the society by the UDC government,’ the report says.
The union argues that democratic legitimacy depends on inclusive constitutional reform that reflects the will of citizens. It further emphasises that constitutionalism requires governments themselves to remain subject to the rule of law.
‘Constitutionalism simply means government that is not only a creation of the law, but is also subject to the law,’ the report states. The document warns that the failure to pursue meaningful reform risks eroding Botswana’s democratic gains accumulated over decades.
‘This is a contamination and indictment to our democracy and indeed a retrogression on the same after struggling for six decades,’ the report says.
Despite the strong language used in the publication, the union says its intervention is intended to promote accountability and safeguard public resources. The report calls for stronger anti-corruption measures, including the enforcement of asset declarations, improved whistleblower protections and enhanced oversight institutions.
‘With the continuing decline in people’s trust in public authorities, the fight against state-sponsored corruption and nepotism. has never been so important,’ the union states.
The manual workers’ union says trade unions, civil society organisations and citizens must play a central role in demanding transparency and accountability from those in positions of power. ‘The trajectory towards the elimination of corruption. requires a coordinated multi-stakeholder approach,’ the report says.