Mokgweetsi Masisi, President of Botswana (since Apr 1, 2018)

Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi (born 21 July 1961) is the 5th President of Botswana since 1 April 2018. He has also served as Minister of Education since 2014, and previously he was Minister of Presidential Affairs and Public Administration from 2011 to 2014. He was first elected to Parliament in 2009.

Mokgweetsi Masisi is the son of Edison Masisi (1923-2003), the long-time MP for Moshupa and many-time cabinet member. The younger Masisi grew up in Gaborone, attending Thornhill Primary School and Maru A Pula School. In school he competed in soccer and tennis, but ultimately found acting to be his calling. In 1984 he won acclaim for his portrayal of the lead role in a Gaborone production of Cry the Beloved Country, and was praised by the visiting Alan Paton for his performance. During the 1980s he starred in numerous theatrical productions, and also had roles in South African B-Movies.

During the 1980s Masisi became a high school social studies teacher for several years after graduating from the University of Botswana in 1984 in English and History. He then taught at Mmanaana Secondary School in 1984 in Moshupa village before moving on to the University of Botswana in 1987 as a curriculum development specialist. In 1989 he went to Florida State University to obtain a Master’s degree in Education, following which he was employed by UNICEF in Botswana.

Masisi unsuccessfully sought the nomination of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) to stand in Moshupa constituency in the 2004 general election[citation needed] However, he obtained the BDP nomination for the same seat prior to the 2009 general election and won the seat. He was promptly appointed as Assistant Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration in October 2009. After a little more than a year as an assistant minister, he was appointed as Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration in January 2011. Masisi became Minister of Education and Skills Development in an acting capacity in April 2014; he was re-elected to his seat in Parliament in October 2014, and he was appointed as Minister of Education and Skills Development on 28 October 2014.

Masisi was appointed by President Ian Khama as Vice President of Botswana on 12 November 2014 while remaining in his post as Minister of Education. On April 1, 2018, he was sworn in as the 5th President of Botswana, he is now the current president of the Republic of Botswana.

President Khama appointed Masisi as the Chancellor of the University of Botswana on 5 July 2017. The appointment, which was in consonance with Section 7 of the University of Botswana Act of 2008, was for a period of five years. It followed the death of former President Quett Masire, who served as the Chancellor until he died on 22 June 2017.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mokgweetsi_Masisi

Lieutenant General Seretse Khama Ian Khama, Former President of Botswana

Prior to entering politics, in 1998, Botswana’s President, the fourth since independence, had already established a reputation as both an able leader and passionate conservationist. His life has been one of accomplishment and extraordinary circumstance.

His Excellency the President, Lieutenant General Seretse Khama Ian Khama, is first born son of Botswana’s founder President, the late Sir Seretse Khama, and his revered wife the late Lady Ruth Khama. He was born on the 27th of February 1953 in Surrey, England as the second of four siblings, with an elder sister Jacqueline, and two younger twin brothers, Tshekedi and Anthony.

The location of the President’s birth was due to the fact that his parents had been forced into political exile, being barred by the then colonial Government from residing in Botswana.  At the time Sir Seretse Khama was the uncrowned sovereign of one of Botswana’s traditional Kingdoms, that of the Bangwato. But, for his defiance of racism, he had been barred from assuming his throne.This injustice was symbolically rectified in 1979 when, bowing to popular pressure, his eldest son agreed to be formally installed as the Kgosi eKgolo (traditional ruler) of Bangwato. At the time of the coronation it was, however, understood that Seretse Khama Ian Khama would, for an indefinite period, remain engaged in national service, leaving the tribal affairs of the Bangwato in the capable hands of others.

The triumphant return of his parents from exile in 1956 allowed Seretse Khama Ian Khama to begin his primary schooling among his own people in Serowe in 1960.  He thereafter did his secondary education at White Stone school in Bulawayo, in what is now Zimbabwe, and Waterford School  Swaziland, Geneva, with further studies Switzerland and Chichester, England.

Thereafter, Khama embarked on what would become a military career. For his tertiary education he attended the prestigious Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, England. After graduating he enrolled for further training at the Nigerian Police Academy at Ikeja. He also underwent flight training, in Gaborone and thereafter Antwerp, Belgium, in 1974-75., and has since maintained his status a qualified pilot.

In 1973 Khama joined the paramilitary Police Mobile Unit, which was the forerunner of the Botswana Defence Force (BDF).  With the formation of the latter, in April 1977, Khama assumed the responsibility of Deputy Commander.  Formed in the face of rising regional tensions, which were then being driven by the racist regimes of Apartheid South Africa and rebel Rhodesia (liberated as Zimbabwe), who then encircled Botswana, at its formation the new army consisted of a mere 132 Police Mobile Unit veterans. This small force was immediately confronted with the task of countering stepped up cross border aggression by the then Rhodesian Security Forces. As both its Deputy Commander and Commander, from 1989 and 1998, Khama went on to play a central role in forging the BDF into a modern professional fighting force, which has won widespread respect for its record in such areas as international peacekeeping, disaster relief and anti-poaching activities, as well as defensive capabilities.

In April 1998 Lieutenant General Khama retired from the Botswana Defence Force and joined politics. As a member of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party, he was appointed Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration.  In July that year, he won the Serowe North Constituency by-election and became its Member of Parliament. He was thereafter nominated for Vice President by President Festus Mogae; his nomination being subsequently endorsed by Parliament.  In addition to being Vice President Khama retained his Ministerial Portfolio at Presidential Affairs.

In the October 1999 general election, Khama again contested the Serowe North Constituency and won; he was again nominated and endorsed by Parliament as Vice President.  In October 2004 he contested the General Elections in the Serowe North West Constituency and was the only parliamentary candidate unopposed. He was also once more endorsed as Vice President.  In July 2003 Khama was further elected Chairman of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party.

Lt. Gen. Khama has a wide range of interests and is patron of various organizations, including Khama Rhino Sanctuary, Serowe Museum, Chobe Wildlife Trust, Mokolodi Wildlife Foundation, the Kalahari Flying Club, Botswana Volleyball Federation, Botswana Football Association and Botswana Softball Association, Botswana Cricket Association, Bana ba Metsi School and the Serowe North Development Trust. He is also the founding Chairman of the Sponsor a Child Trust whose main objectives are to assist disadvantaged children particularly destitute, disabled and orphaned children. He is also Chairman of the Lady Khama Charitable Trust, which he pioneered in memory of his late Mother. The Trust assists other specialised Charitable Organisations with financial and material resources to realise their own objectives.
An avid football lover, Khama is also president of Mogoditshane Fighters, Miscellaneous Football Club and Okavango Football Club.  He is Vice Chairman of the Kalahari Conservation Society; Honorary Member of the Game Rangers Association of Southern Africa, and Board Member of the USA based Conservation International.

Khama has received a number of honours and awards including the Presidential Order of Honour, Founder Officer Medal, Duty Code Order and the Distinguished Service Medal. He was awarded the Conservation Award by the African Safari Club of Washington USA in 1991 and the Hotel and Tourism Industry Award in 1996, the Paul Harris Fellow and the Endangered Wildlife Trust Statesman Award in 2001.

Source: http://www.gov.bw/en/Ministries–Authorities/Ministries/State-President/Office-of-the-President/