09 Jul 2023

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi's show of love to families during times of loss is testament of his commitment to Batswana in both good and bad times.

On July 7, the Rabaloi and Kelobang families in Lotlhakane West and Moshupa praised him for always making time to console grieving families across the country despite his tight schedule.

Representative of the Rabaloi family Ms Malebogo Kruger said while it was impossible for President Masisi to visit every bereaved family in the country, his display of solidarity with the families that he managed to condole with showed how in touch with citizens he was.

“You standing with families during their times of grief shows how big your heart is; it shows that your heart does indeed accommodate the whole country. When we grieve, you grieve with us and when we celebrate, you celebrate with us,” she said.

The daughter of the late Ms Rachel Rabaloi, Ms Eunice Thupeng also thanked the President for coming to pay his respects to their mother.

She told President Masisi that Ms Rabaloi had battled ill health for a long time and that her condition had worsened in May this year leading to her death on June 29.

Ms Thupeng described the deceased as a community builder at the bottom of whose heart lay the interests not only of the people of Lotlhakane West but also of the wider society.

At the Kelobang homestead in Moshupa, where the family was mourning the death of Mr Mothata Kelobang, family representative Mr Mogalakane Kelobang said Dr Masisi's inability to visit every grieving family should not be construed to be a sign of him not loving his people equally.

“Your relentlessness in paying homage to deceased citizens and comforting their families during their times of need is encouraging. However, those families that you fail to visit shouldn't think that you do not love them, it should be understood that you cannot go everywhere,” he said.

Sharing words of comfort with the two families, President Masisi said having closely shared his life with both Ms Rabaloi and Mr Kelobang it was fitting that he pay his respects to them after their passing.

Dr Masisi said both the deceased had led lives worth celebrating as they had contributed to their communities in great ways.

He urged their families to give in to prayer and draw their strength from God, as well as to take comfort from the fact that death awaited all humanity.

Both Ms Rabaloi and Mr Kelobang were laid to rest in their respective villages over the weekend. ENDS