19 Feb 2025

The Botswana Music Union (BOMU) National Executive Committee (NEC) has suspended its president Phemelo Lesokwane.

The suspension emanates from a letter in which Lesokwane wrote to one of their sponsors, Department of Broadcasting Services (DBS) instructing them to suspend payments relating to BOMU projects and its service provider(s) as the association was addressing accountability issues with their consultant.

However, Lesokwane said in an interview that he did not recognise nor accept what he termed an “unlawful attempt to disempower him of his elected right to run the office successfully.” He therefore said he would continue to serve in the BOMU office.

However, BOMU secretary general Rasina Rasina said the letter written to their sponsor by Lesokwane was unprocedural and violated the National Executive Committee resolution.

“BOMU does not have accountability issues with its consultant,” said Rasina adding that there had never been any issues raised by NEC regarding their consultant.

Rasina explained that the letter written to their sponsor was not sanctioned by BOMU and was detrimental to the union, and they had therefore asked Lesokwane during an urgent meeting by NEC to not submit it to their client. He said the resolution of NEC following their meeting with Lesokwane was that NEC would meet with the consultant to share and discuss concerns and rectify whatever was needed to be corrected.

“We are sad that we have to discuss this matter publicly, through the media. We had wanted to treat it as purely internal, but we find ourselves given no choice but to be publicly answerable, as essentially, BOMU is a public institution. We loudly express that we do not have accountability problems at BOMU and that, we do not have accountability issues with our consultant,” Rasina stated.

Meanwhile, DBS communications and public relations officer, Joshua Ntopolelang, confirmed receipt of two letters from BOMU, the letter of instructions by BOMU president as well as a withdrawal of president by BOMU office.

“DBS does not have a direct contract with BOMU itself, but their appointed technical company of which DBS will be in contact with to ascertain the matter and chart way forward,” Ntopolelang said.

As the BOMU Constitution dictates, first vice president Papie Rakhudu, has currently been appointed as acting president. ENDS