11 Jul 2016

The Third President of Botswana, Dr Festus Mogae also special envoy to campaign for Botswana candidate for the position of chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission has described Dr Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi as a hardworking person, patient and somebody who knows how to present her case.

“She started in landboards when they used to be more tribal and administered by tribal authorities, dealing with complex land issues, so she has toughened up,” he said.

In an interview, he said as a former president and someone who knows many presidents, he was roped in so that he can persuade high level people and countries to vote for the Botswana candidate.

He said Dr Venson-Moitoi stood a good chance because she is patient, articulate and knows how to put up with blame when she is blamed for something for which she is not guilty. “She also knows how to put across a difficult position, either in a sense of a very furious person or people who are aggrieved, I think partly by training and because of circumstances, but also I think she was born like that and those are the qualities she has.”

He said as an administrator, she stood a very good chance and it is a very strong point for her because it is not a tradition of AU to have someone leading as an administrator and Dr Venson-Moitoi should boast about it.

Dr Mogae said there are many good resolutions that have been passed that were awaiting implementation of good decisions and follow ups that Dr Venson-Moitoi could do. She said as a team leader, Dr Venson-Moitoi will be serving all African presidents and ministers, hence she will advise them accordingly because she has been a politician and a civil servant and a remedy of the two blends well with the position she is vying for.

He further said Dr Venson-Moitoi has been in public service for 20 years in challenging ministries, and left public service as a permanent secretary in the then Ministry of Local Government and Lands.

“And now she has been a politician of repute for more than 17 years and for the first career as a minister, she worked under me, and she can do well in African Union,” he said.

He said Dr Venson-Moitoi could do well despite the misconception that some leaders still hold on to the issue that President Khama does not attend AU meetings, whereas Botswana is still an AU member and pays her dues to the AU.

He said so far, Dr Venson-Moitoi had very successful brief at Ethiopia where the AU headquarters is located with other AU members during a meeting recently.

Dr Venson Moitoi, aged 65, who was endorsed by SADC late March, will be competing with other candidates from East Africa; Uganda and from Central Africa; Equatorial Guinea.

The elections for AU chairperson will be held during the 27^th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the AU, which is scheduled to take place from July 17-18 in Kigali, Rwanda.

The new candidate will replace Dr Dlamini-Zuma who is not seeking re-election after serving for four years since July 2012.ENDS