President Masisi honours luminaries
30 Sep 2023
The President, Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi has honoured about 36 deserving Batswana luminaries for their contribution to the country.
Among the luminaries were the late Botswana People’s Party (BPP) founder, Mr Philip Matante who was posthumously awarded the Naledi Ya Botswana (NYB) at this year’s honours awards ceremony in Gaborone on Independence Day Eve (September 29). Naledi Ya Botswana is an honour awarded for outstanding service to Botswana.
Owing to his decorated profile, the late Matante, during his time, blossomed as a freedom square speaker who supported the boycott of racist establishments and under his leadership BPP captured three seats to become the sole opposition party in the National Assembly.
He was the first Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly and following independence, Matante gained further notoriety for his robust participation in parliamentary debates.
Matante was the first Member of Parliament to call for the formation of a defence force and advocated the improvement of the working conditions and change of uniform for the police, from shorts to trousers.
He was also one of the pioneers who advocated for Botswana to establish its own currency, pula le thebe.
In November 2019, President Masisi renamed the Francistown Airport PG Matante International Airport to honour him.
President Masisi also bestowed 11 other recipients the Presidential Order of Honour (PH), an honour awarded for efficient and devoted service to the country. Among them was Dr Kereng Masupu, a highly accomplished international infectious expert in his illustrious career.
Dr Masupu was the founding Champions for an HIV-Free Generation executive director, an ensemble that comprised former presidents and influential persons to mobilise high-level leadership against HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa. He served as COVID-19 Botswana Presidential Task Force coordinator from 2020 to 2021.
Other honours included the Presidential Order of Meritorious Service (PMS), awarded to any person for actions or services benefitting Botswana or any community or organisation in any particular field or sphere as well as courage or devotion to duty.
Recipients under this category are seven individuals including the country’s 100m sensation, Letsile Tebogo, who is the current World U20 record holder in the men’s 100m with a time of 9.91, set at the Cali22 World Athletics U20 Championships.
Born June 7, 2004 in Kanye, Tebogo is also a silver medallist from the World Athletics Championship Budapest23 in the men’s 100m.
The President further honoured 17 other luminaries the Presidential Certificate of Honour (PCH) and among them was Ms Tebogo Obonetse of Foley.
Ms Obonetse is a lifetime volunteer and most of her life is lived making sure that others around her are taken care of.
She has offered her car as an ambulance for Foley residents and also provided transport for TB patients in her private vehicle, from Foley to Tonota (45km). She also dedicated her single room as storage for TB tablets in Foley.
The last awards were held in 2018 while the 2019 chapter was deferred due to the COVID-19 pandemic. ENDS
Source : BOPA
Author : MARVIN MOTLHABANE
Location : GABORONE
Event : AWARDS
Date : 30 Sep 2023
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