16 Mar 2026

Many remember the late former Speaker of the National Assembly, Gladys Kokorweas one of the country’s rare breeds with an an illustrious and distinguished career in both the public service and politics. But for her siblings, she served as a guide and coordinator who has directed their lives in the right direction.

As an elder sister, she assumed the role of  a unifier in the family, always advocating for love and care for one another.

“Mma Stompie, the eldest of the seven siblings carried the weight of the family and gave us motherly care. We enjoyed her love, care and compassion,” said one of the siblings, Mr Tuelo Botlhoko in an nterview.

Kokorwe, affectionately called Mma Stompie, passed away on March 11, 2026, at the age of 78, leaving behind a legacy that spanned over five decades. She was a distinguished politician, diplomat, and civil servant who served as the Speaker of the National Assembly of Botswana from 2014 to 2019. In December 2009, President Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama appointed her as Botswana’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe, a post she held until 2014.

Reflecting on the life of Kokorwe in the yesteryear, Mr Botlhoko recalled how she brought positive change to the Peleng community in Lobatse, to an extent that one could liken her role to that of a social worker as she believed in nurturing and developing the lives of young people. Mr Botlhoko said her passion toward community development would forever be etched in the lives of the people she touched and worked with.

Her sister, Ms Pelonomi Moima said Kokorwe was a phenomenal woman and  a great motivator who believed in hard work. She described the former speaker as a leader, who understood leadership and management in all its diversity. She said Kokorwe encouraged them to be who they are today.

“I stayed with her in Lobatse when I was doing Standard 4 up until I went to Lobatse Secondary School. She instilled in me the zeal to face life situations level headed,” she said.

Despite the love she extended to her siblings, Ms Moima said her sister never compromised discipline, as she did all in her power to instill law and order.

“She wanted well behaved children and we had to obey and respect her as she wanted was best for us,” said Ms Moima.

Ms Moima described her as a great giver and helper who reached out to both family members, community and the church, driven by love to help those in need, a value intertwined in her life as a a staunch Seventh Day Adventist Church member who believed in the second coming of the Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.

She said even at a time when she was tasked with various leadership roles in government, she served the nation with honour and respect and people loved her character and demeanor. She said the family would forever cherish the moments they shared with her vouching to continue where she left off as  a unifier.

“I can proudly say as her siblings, we are united and face life challenges together as family. Even when she was not well, we were together to make sure she was taken care of and still we are together during this period of loss,” she said.

A published authority on Botswana history and former senior civil servant, Dr Jeff Ramsey said he had known Kokorwe as a strong level headed woman who excelled in her leadership positions and stood for what she believed was right. He said what made the former speaker  stand out among many was that she was an easy going person who loved everyone. 

“She was a loving and polite person who never spoke down on anyone and was not afraid to share her views on issues which she believed were beneficial to the nation,” he said.

Dr Ramsey said during the time when Kokorwe was the Assistant Minister of Local Government, she was able to interact with many people which made her work easier. A stalwart of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), her political journey includes being elected as the Member of Parliament for Thamaga/Kweneng South Constituency in 1994. Dr Ramsey added that from the first election she won in Thamaga, she stood up for women empowerment and promotion of female representation in Parliament. 

“Her relentless energy on women empowerment pushed her party, the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) to give women positions of leadership. As more women began to challenge men for leadership positions, a generation of women rose among them Ms Tebelelo Seretse, Dr Margaret Nasha, Ms Pelonomi Venson, and Ms Joy Phumaphi,” he said.

He said it was within this framework that Kokorwe proved her worth and that put her among strong women leaders in the country.

She was born on November 28, 1947, in Cape Town, South Africa, where her father was working at the time and she later returned to Botswana to attend primary school in Thamaga in the Kweneng District. Kokorwe completed her secondary education at Moeng College and later pursued further studies, including a Diploma in Development Administration from the University of Connecticut in the United States.

Before entering the political arena, she rose through the ranks of the Botswana civil service where she started as a typist and clerical work. She eventually held senior positions in local government, serving as the Town Clerk for both Sowa Town and Gaborone, and as the Commercial Officer for Lobatse.

Kokorwe served as the Assistant Minister of Local Government from 1999 to 2004 and Minister of Youth, Sport and Culture from 2008–2009. In 2008, she became the first Member of Parliament in Botswana’s history to have a Private Member’s Bill passed into law, the Domestic Violence Act, which provides critical protection for victims of abuse.

During her tenure as Speaker of the National Assembly, succeeding Dr Margaret Nasha, she launched an initiative called Taking Parliament to the People which was geared at educating citizens in rural areas about the functions of the legislature and during that period, many Batswana were illuminated on the functions of Parliament.

Ambassador Kokorwe pushed for the live broadcasting of parliamentary proceedings and advocated for the use of Setswana in debates to make the proceedings more accessible to the general public.

As a gender activist, she was a vocal proponent of increasing women’s representation in politics, frequently pointing out the disparity between women’s success in the judiciary and the civil service versus their low numbers in Parliament. Kokorwe will forever be remembered  for her tenacity and commitment to social issues and a trailblazer who set the tone for women in Botswana’s political landscape. BOPA