26 May 2022

On Tuesday, the country woke up to the shocking news that Botswana’s ambassador  to Belgium and Mission to the European Union, Ambassador, Samuel Outlule was dead.

He died only two months to his 65th birthday.

What made his death surreal for many was the fact that he had only recently appeared in news interviews including in the Dailynews and on Btv.He was,as dean of Botswana 's diplomatic missions lending clarity on the country's heads of mission’s excursion in Kasane. It is these very recent media interviews of him that are still etched in the minds of readers and audiences.

When paying tribute to him, former President, Mr Festus Mogae, whom the late ambassador once served as senior private secretary, and under whose administration he served as clerk of cabinet from 2000 through 2005, describes him as a tenacious and principled man who was loved and respected by all.

He says:“Remarkable, was that even later on in my retirement, during my interactions with him as our representative in Brussels, Ambassador Outlule always exuded the cool air of thoughtful authority among his associates. He projected sound judgement, and always with deep insight.”

In his written tribute, Mr Mogae explains that he never stopped admiring Ambassador Outlule’s analytical vision and eloquence, epitomised by his presentation of issues, and his greatest devotion towards the goal of achieving Botswana’s foreign policy.

He says he was especially proud to have been associated with a person of Ambassador Outlule’s remarkable personality and extraordinary talent.

Sam, as he affectionately called him, was never shy to proffer objective counsel to him, no matter how he would perceive it, as the President.

“Ambassador Outlule brought to life my ardent belief in the thesis that: ‘I never in my life learned anything from a man who agreed with me’. Sam was an advisor you could trust,” he says.

Long-term friend and colleague, Resident Ambassador Lapologang Lekoa says Mr Outlule was one of the finest diplomats among Botswana's foreign service personnel.

“A true public servant of immense resolve to serve the country, particularly during the yesteryears of Botswana transformation into a developing state,” is how he describes him.

The two became close friends after a young  Outlule joined the ministry. Some distinguishing features of his character were his cool-headedness and an incisive mind, he says.

“Sam would break issues and not gloss over what is happening, and bring out every element of an issue at hand.”

The late ambassador was very well informed as a person, especially about issues he applied his mind to, be it in a chat or official conversation,where he was expected to come up with an opinion or analysis and always made sure that he was informed about the matter at hand.

He reminisces about a time when he was in Australia as a high commissioner and was tasked with speaking on relations between the  EU and Africa.

“I called Sam from Canberra, Australia for help because he was conversant with EU and Africa-Caribbean-Pacific matters.  I asked if he needed time to reflect but he proceeded to talk, while I looked for a pen and paper to take notes. This was in 2016. I still have those notes because they were not only useful for the Canberra interaction but were also important  for future discussions on EU and ACP relations. And I never imagined I could get the guidance from anyone at such short notice. I was in Sydney, but I got them typed and filed. That was Sam for me,” he says.

 Ambassador Outlule was naturally polite , he says.

He recalls that the other commonalities he had with Sam, were their fondness to recall events as they happened at their former school.

The two went to Moeng college back in the 1970s, although Lekoa was a few years ahead. They still remembered the college’s traditions, the culture of reading that the students had adopted despite a scarcity of books, relative to other colleges.

“We compensated for that by reading everything that was available, and that paid beautiful dividends later,” he said, adding they owed much to the college. Ambassador Lekoa said Sam’s hard-working nature and analytical approach to issues and capacity to research was greatly shaped by the college, where they built their friendship, as did they with several others, owing to the isolation of the college.

Says Ambassador Lekoa: “Most of us who schooled at Moeng became very close because we did not have the luxury of meeting a lot of people to make new friends elsewhere.”

Mr Outlule was a speech writer of note .

As private secretary to former President Mogae, he would have factual speeches that were relevant to the subject and appealing to the audience, he says.

“This was one of his rare gifts....Sam’s speeches could speak to everyone in the audience;

A good speechwriter should picture the various sections of the audience – how they will react because they are bound to react differently,” he says.

Meanwhile, a news release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that Ambassador Outlule was born in Maunatlala in Tswapong North.

He graduated from the University of Botswana and Swaziland, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Politics and Administration in 1982.

Subsequent to completing his tertiary education, Ambassador Outlule joined Botswana Foreign Service the same year, and has served as a diplomat for  40 years.

Among others, he served as Head of Africa and the Middle East, Director of International Relations and Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He served at a number of Botswana’s diplomatic missions, including in Zimbabwe, the UK, and the US, where he was Botswana’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York  and most recently in Belgium.

He was also dean of Botswana’s diplomatic missions. Some of his notable contributions include serving as Botswana’s Ambassador in Belgium and Head of Delegation to the European Union, where he was instrumental in promoting Botswana’s economic and trade interests.

His portfolio covered European Union, as well as African, Caribbean and Pacific Countries (EU-ACP) issues.

Ambassador Outlule will be laid to rest in his home village of Maunatlala on June 4. BOPA .Ends