“He was diagnosed with cancer and he was troubled by high blood pressure,” said the younger Makgekgenene, who revealed that his brother had previously suffered four minor strokes.
Makgekgenene died a staunch member of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), which he joined in 1962. He was previously a non-card carrying member of the then Bechuanaland Peoples Party (BPP) from 1960. He was recruited to BDP by former cabinet minister Amos Dambe. In the 1965 polls, he beat Lucas Senthufhe of the BPP and the late Mogakolodi Ngwako of the then Bechuanaland Independence Party (BIP) to become the first MP for Tonota. He clung to the parliamentary seat until 1999 when he was ousted by current legislator Pono Moatlhodi of the BDP. In an interview last year, Makgekgenene blamed his loss to the councillors that he had previously worked with. “I was sold out by the very team of councillors that I trusted all along,” he had said.
Between 1972-74, he was an Assistant Minister of Finance and Development. He became a full minister in 1974 and served in Local Government to 1979 and Health till 1983 when he was relegated to the backbench. In 1993, he was elected Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly. He worked closely with the first president, the late Sir Seretse Khama and his successor Sir Ketumile Masire. He was a long serving chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
Before his death, the 71-year-old politician was engaged in farming. Makgekgenene is an alumnus of Tigerkloof, where he was exposed to student politics that greatly influenced his thinking.
BDP executive secretary, Dr. Comma Serema described the late politician as a stalwart who has contributed greatly to the development of the country. “His death is not a loss to the Makgekgenene family only. The whole country is mourning his death. The man was very helpful,” said Serema.
He said he is in the process of talking to the Makgekgenene family to document his life posthumously in the form of a biography.
Former cabinet minister Kebatlamang Morake, who also hails from Tonota, remembers Makgekgenene as a hardworking person. They both joined the BDP in 1962, but Morake exited Parliament in 1994 after losing the general elections to the Botswana National Front’s Gilson Saleshando - the current president of the Botswana Congress Party (BCP). “We were both teachers in the 1950s at the then Tonota School before we joined politics. He was married to my aunt,” Morake said.
Makgekgenene leaves behind his wife and four children - three daughters and a son. He will be buried on Saturday at his home in Tonota.
