An Air Botswana engineer, Langston Motsete, who was recently allowed to contest the weekend Botswana Democratic Party Mahalapye West constituency by-elections is likely to face disciplinary action for violating his employer’s disciplinary code.
AB employees are barred from active political involvement.
In an interview with The Telegraph, Motsete confirmed that he is one of the contestants in the race.
He said his employer’s regulations do not bar him from active political involvement.
“The regulations do not bar us from active politics. However, we are not allowed to do it during work time. One is allowed to take leave and participate. We are also allowed to hold political office,” said Motsete, who is a former specially-nominated councillor and is currently on leave until 17th September.
When asked how he became a councillor in the past, he said at the time the current regulations governing political involvement were not in place at the state owned airline.
He said the regulations could not be applied retrospectively as at the time of their commencement, he was already a councillor.
Motsete’s version, however, differs fundamentally with that of his employer.
Responding to The Telegraph enquiries on the issue, AB spokesperson, Thabiso Leshoai, said Air Botswana Staff Regulations prohibit its employees from active political participation.
“Specifically it states that no employee shall: (a) Publicly speak or demonstrate for or against any politician or political party.
(b) Be neither active member nor hold office in any political party or association.
(c) Speak in public in any political matter.
(d) Publish his views on political matters in writing.
(e) Take an active part in support of any candidate in an election.
(f) Hold political office in any Local Government body, except where the office is held ex officio.
(g) Do anything by word or deed which is calculated to further the interests of any political party or association”, said Leshoai.
He added that in Motsete’s case, Air Botswana has only been alerted to the issue by recent media reports and management is currently conducting its investigation and if the allegations are found to be true, “disciplinary action shall be taken in line with the Air Botswana Disciplinary Code”.
Ahead of the 2009 general election, a Botswana National Front activist, Maemo Bantsi who was the airline acting general manager resigned from the corporation in order to take part in active politics.
Bantsi later lost to Robert Masitara in the battle for the Gaborone West South constituency.
In Motsete’s case, some employees within the organization have been wondering why the engineer has been allowed to run for political office while still working for the parastatal.
They wondered whether executive management was not applying double standards by allowing some employees to engage in active politics while denying others the same.
Reached for comment, BDP Executive secretary, Thabo Masalila, said, “The matter is for the employer and that individual. As far as we are concerned, he has not violated any of our [BDP] primary regulations.”
Mahalapye West goes for by-elections following the retirement of former Vice-President Mompati Merafhe.
