The Botswana Police have said that their interest is not to spy on striking workers but to enforce the law.
This came after security agents assigned at the striking workers’ assembly points throughout the country have been threatened if they continue spying or are seen at the assembly points.
The warning came recently after a military intelligence officer was attacked and injured by a mob in Ramotswa during which his official cell phone was also confiscated by the union.
The chairman of Botswana Federation of Public Sector Unions (BOFEPUSO) in the South East region, Segale Kgari, told Sunday Standard that “until the government has provided us with names or list of security agents deployed at our assembly points, we will chase them like dogs”.
He strongly stated that “we don’t want any spy within ourselves”, adding that once they find out that there is a security agent among them, such person or persons will be thoroughly disciplined.
Kgari said that their assembly point is free of criminal activities.
When asked about the phone that they confiscated from the military intelligence officer, he replied: “We still have the phone but if the government wants they should come and take it”.
He added that as the union they will not waste their time taking the cellphone to them but the police should come and collect it for themselves.
The Public Relations Officer of Botswana Police Service, Assistant Commissioner Christopher Mbulawa, said, “We will deploy our officers both in uniform and in plain clothes.”
He added that, “We are not interested in spying on any striking officer but simply to enforce the law.”
He said the police will be much interest to attend any gathering so that they can enforce law when requires. He cited that in Gaborone west cars were being broken into when people were still attending funerals but the arrested the situation that became a concern to the resident.
He said police visibility shown be seen everywhere and that alone plays a very important role in policing, adding that the intimidation was increasing after their colleague in Ramotswa was attacked by a mob.
“Our duty is to protect them because now some criminals are now taking advantage of the current situation in which some are selling drugs and doing Meanwhile the Extension 2 Magistrate Court was full to capacity last Friday morning when hundreds of striking workers accompanied Peloetsweu Baeng following his brief appearance before court, charged with a single count of assault and was granted P200 bail. He is scheduled to appear in court on the 10th of June next month.
