28 Jun 2018

Government’s mission to honour Botswana’s living legends commenced June 27 with President Mokgweetsi Masisi’s visit to former North East MP Kenneth Nkhwa.

Speaking during the visit to Mr Nkhwa’s Gulubane home, President Masisi said it was fitting to honour all the founding fathers of Botswana’s democracy to show them that their lives mattered.

Mr Nkhwa is one of the leaders who made it into Botswana’s first National Assembly after the 1965 general elections as MP for the then North East constituency on the Botswana People’s Party (BPP) ticket.

The president said it did not matter that Mr Nkhwa was a member of the opposition because in him he saw a kind and loving icon who served his people wholeheartedly.

He described Mr Nkhwa as a hard worker who contributed to bringing developments to the then vast North East constituency which covered the whole North East District.

“If it was not for people like him, there would not be a democratic Botswana. They left a good legacy and I want those coming behind to follow suit,” he said.

President Masisi explained that his visit to Gulubane was also an act of love and appreciation on behalf of all Batswana.

For his part, Mr Nkhwa said the president’s visit was particularly comforting for him as he was not well.

Mr Nkhwa said the president’s gesture warmed his heart adding “I believe that his reward would come from God”.

“You are a president with a generous heart. You looked beyond the fact that I was opposing your party and saw it fit to honour me as one of the founding fathers of Botswana’s democracy,” he said.

He said he served Botswana with love umindful of his party allegiance.

Mr Nkhwa’s wife, Grace, reiterated that it was a blessing for President Masisi to have visited them, particularly at a time when her husband was ailing.

Ms Nkhwa also said President Masisi was blessed to have a wife who supported him adding First Lady Neo Masisi’s efforts to promote education were commendable.

The first family showered the Nkhwa family with gifts including chairs, walking stick, coat, head scarf and shawl and also donated 200 blankets to Gulubane residents.

MP for Tati West, Mr Biggie Butale thanked the president for visiting one of the founders of Botswana’s democracy, noting that Mr Nkhwa was a luminary having gone to World War II and served Botswana wholeheartedly.

For his part, Kgosi Ezekiel Gulubane expressed gratitude for the visit and the fact that Botswana continued to honour the former MP who had received awards.

On other issues, he requested President Masisi to look into the bad state of the road from Hubona going through Gulubane, Mambo, Masingwaneng and Sechele.

Former president Dr Festus Mogae, Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms Gladys Kokorwe and former Molepolole South MP, Mr Daniel Kwelagobe were among those who accompanied the President. ENDS