Khama still has time

As per tradition, he will doff his hat off to Parliament, before moving to issues of governance and how splendidly the country is performing before going to the assessments of sectoral performances. In conclusion, he will perhaps recite or touch on a biblical note of hope and exhort Batswana to unite in pursuit of more inclusive development. While such an approach is generally acceptable if not hackneyed, it has worked in the past and will have some positive impact today and in future.

However, Khama would do much better if he used today’s address to confront the elephant in the room; the question of what his legacy will be as he enters his second and final constitutional term as president. Where Mogae is famous for the successful and epic battle against HIV/AIDS and the beneficiation of local diamonds, it may be argued that Khama’s legacy is yet to crystallise.