Kenewendo, Mine Workers Union Move to Bridge Rift

Kenewendo’s meeting with BMWU signals a possible thaw after accusations of strained relations over worker safety, representation and collective bargaining The Minister of Minerals and Energy Bogolo Kenewendo has moved to open a fresh channel of engagement with the Botswana Mine Workers Union (BMWU), meeting the union’s leadership in Gaborone on Tuesday amid accusations that her ministry has been shutting organised labour out of critical mining-sector discussions. Kenewendo met BMWU representatives at the Ministry of Minerals and Energy headquarters in an engagement the ministry described as part of the government’s pursuit of consultation with key stakeholders in the mining industry. According to the ministry, the meeting provided an opportunity for both sides to exchange views on challenges affecting the sector and to strengthen collaboration towards a safe, productive and sustainable mining industry.

The engagement comes against the backdrop of mounting concerns from BMWU president Joseph Tsimako, who has, in recent weeks, accused Kenewendo of failing to adequately engage the union on issues directly affecting mine workers. Tsimako has previously raised concerns over the union’s exclusion from the High Level Consultative Council (HLCC), worker safety and the establishment of a bargaining council for the mining sector. Speaking on the Comrade Podcast on 16 July, Tsimako claimed the union had previously arrived for a scheduled engagement with the minister, only to be informed that Kenewendo had left the premises.

“She has no interest in working with trade unions which exists in her sector. That’s why she has not considered the HLCC issue, safety topics and the bargaining council. She is only interested in minerals, not the workforce that produces those diamonds, workers who are under her ministry,” he alleged.

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The issues raised by Tsimako placed greater significance on the latest meeting, as the union represents workers at the heart of Botswana’s mining industry, one of the country’s most important economic sectors. For BMWU, the meeting therefore offers an opportunity to place labour concerns directly before the minister, while for the ministry it creates space to reinforce its stated commitment to stakeholder consultation. The ministry said the engagement was aimed at strengthening collaboration, signalling a renewed attempt to ensure that the government and organised labour remain part of the same conversation on the future of Botswana’s mining industry.

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