This article seeks to critically discuss whether or not trade unions should participate in political affairs or otherwise “party politics” in Botswana in light of the statement and remarks echoed by Seretse Khama in a magazine entitled, “Trade Unions in Botswana”. Will we first try to define what politics is and what trade unions are? The discussion will then critically address the arguments raised in Sir Seretse Khama's article cited above, regarding whether trade unions should be allowed to participate in Botswana's political affairs. It will also consider the current situation in Botswana and compare the situation with neighboring countries, with an emphasis on the South African position. The paper will then conclude by stating whether or not trade unions should be affiliated with political parties. For the purposes of this discussion, politics refers to the activities associated with governing the country. However, this definition does not provide a satisfactory definition of what political activity means. For the purposes of this discussion, political activities mean activities related to economic, social and legal issues relating to the development of a country. According to Article 2 of the Law on Trade Unions and Employers' Organisations, a trade union "means an organization whose main purposes include the regulation of relations between employees and employers or the organization of employers and between employers and employees". Free trade unions are an essential tool of participatory democracy. A trade union is considered free and unrestricted when it is not affiliated with any political party but is rather a neutral body. In such a state there is no... means of paper... it is represented by the unions. Therefore, denying such unions membership in politics denies such members participation in the policies and legislation that ultimately affect them. In conclusion, allowing unions to join politics can still be used as a balancing exercise by the political party in power. This means that the political party in power cannot now use its power to the detriment of union members. Relations between trade unions and political parties should be limited to participation in structures such as the Labor Consultative Committee and other structures in which a trade union is considered a stakeholder. Trade unions should, on the whole, remain politically neutral and their involvement in government policies and policies should be limited to labor and employment issues. This therefore eliminates the possibility of government-backed unions.