18 Dec 2016

President Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama has urged newly commissioned Botswana Defence Force (BDF) officers to lead by example and never be found wanting in their conduct or execution of duties.

Speaking at a commissioning parade of officer cadets class 39 of 2015/16 and special entrant officer cadets intake two of 2016, the President said the country looked up to the soldiers with high expectations.

“Your subordinates will also look up to you for leadership and rightly expect that you will be their pillar of strength. In your military career you will need to place duty before self,” he said.

The officer cadets and special entrant officer cadets had just completed a 12 months and three months training course respectively.

Among other things, the training included building in the officer cadets and special entrant officer cadets’ physical and mental robustness for carrying out military duties as well as developing proficiency in the officer’s basic military skills.

Nonetheless, President Khama noted that recent developments revealed that the nature of armed conflict had changed and was more complex.

He, therefore, said the country needed to embrace the fact that terrorists had peculiar ways of fighting without following conventional rules of engagement.

These tactics, the President said, demanded innovative approaches, the first of which was to advance soldier’s knowledge and skills, so that they could understand and respond to the challenges of a world awash with terrorism, religious extremism and intolerance.

He said the country was also grappling with poaching, human trafficking and cross border crime.

President Khama said poachers were well-armed, re-organised and operated in sophisticated networks, hence the President saying soldiers would be expected to lead their subordinates in combating these relentless afflictions and assist in making Botswana a tourist destination of choice.

“Your career as officers in the Botswana Defence Force will therefore demand continuous training, high levels of professionalism, ethics and great personal sacrifice,” he said.

Meanwhile, President Khama commended the officers for the sacrifice they made by electing to pursue a vocation in the profession of arms, adding that they should appreciate that they had chosen to join an organisation that was dedicated to serve the nation at all times and in all situations.

President Khama also bestowed Presidential commissions on 82 officer cadets of class 39 and 17 special entrant officer cadets of intake two of 2016.

The two intakes boast graduates from various disciplines made even more special by the fact that the special entrant officer cadets were bringing with them a wealth of experience and specialised qualifications in the fields of medicine, law, laboratory science among others.

Meanwhile, as it is the norm around this time of the year, President Khama, through the Lady Khama Charitable Fund, donated food hampers to the BDF, Botswana Police Service and the Ministry of Health and Wellness. ENDS