04 Jul 2019

Botswana and the rest of Africa need visionary leaders who can adapt to the changing environment in today’s fast-changing world.

The President, Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi, said in Gaborone on July 3 in his remarks as at the 10th annual Sir Ketumile Masire Foundation fund raising gala dinner. 

He said there was need for able and decisive leaders who could mentor young people and provide training and guidance to build them. 

“This is a responsibility that requires collective action to actualise. I understand that the foundation empowers young people through the provision of training, support and guidance,” he said.

Dr Masisi noted that the foundation strived to develop future leaders and strongly supported as well as shared government’s ideals to empower young people to meaningfully participate in the country’s development.

One of government’s priorities, Dr Masisi said, was to address the challenge of unemployment, especially among the youth, which demanded that focus and energies be directed at creating jobs for them.

In addition, a path had to be set to develop them into future leaders, he said. 

He said government allocated P120 million annually for young people to set up businesses and created jobs for their peers thereby presenting a perfect opportunity for charitable organisations such as the foundation to develop them into leaders.

To drive government’s job creation initiative, it was important for such organisations to help young people to set up and operate businesses, cooperatives and consortiums in various sectors, the President said.

However, he said one of the government challenges was providing mentorship services for the Youth Development Fund beneficiaries.

He encouraged the foundation to partner with government to mentor young people into strong leaders. 

“I can assure you that we will not rest until our young people are rescued from the tentacles of poverty. I want to challenge our young people to rise to the occasion and confront the challenges of unemployment and poverty for a secure future,” he said. 

President Masisi stressed that the future belonged to those who aggressively sought solutions to challenges facing their societies and those who would lead the way in active involvement in the socio-economic development of their country.

Furthermore, the President said communities needed selfless leaders who could dedicate their talent and time to providing them with their needs. 

“Our nation needs leaders with integrity to grow and protect its wealth. We need leaders who have our people’s interest at heart and not personal interest. Our forefathers taught us good governance and therefore we cannot afford to neglect leadership development,” he said.

Since 1966, Dr Masisi said, Botswana had enjoyed peace and tranquillity and had been the envy of many nations. 

President Masisi said in order to continue enjoying peace and tranquility, government must engage in effective leadership development in partnership with organisations such as the foundation. 

He said the late Sir Ketumile Masire gave much of his time to the service of the nation adding that his commitment to the Botswana’s development of had brought the country this far. 

“We all know that exceptional leaders are those who generously give their talent, time and energy to impact the lives of the people they serve. Such is the legacy of the late Sir Ketumile Masire who became a leader at a very tender age,” he said. 

President Masisi applauded Sir Ketumile and Lady Masire’s children for following in the footsteps of their parents, by holding tightly to their legacy of peace and Botho. 

He also encouraged the foundation’s chairperson, Mr Mmetla Masire and his siblings to continue their parents’ legacy and do exploits that they could have undertaken were they still alive.  

The dinner was held to reminisce and celebrate the lives of the late former president, Sir Ketumile Masire and his wife, Lady Olebile who founded the organisation in 2007. Ends