The rise and rise of Serame
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe - Innocent Selatlhwa | Monday June 20, 2022 06:00
Serame, a political novice who debuted in Parliament three years ago, faces the first test of her rising popularity this weekend, as the frontrunner for the BDP Women’s Wing, a position sources said was a springboard for even higher places.
News has made rounds that Serame is being positioned to take over the Goodhope-Mabule Constituency from the incumbent, Eric Molale who is serving his last term. Media reports have in the past suggested that the constituency was yet to warm up to the idea of replacing Molale with Serame.
It would seem like Serame, who enjoys a good working relationship with President Mokgweetsi Masisi, is also said to be the favourite to replace Slumber Tsogwane as Vice President before 2029.
Masisi is the first President of Botswana that seems to be taking women's ascension to power seriously and is keen on their empowerment issues. Serame is not only famous among the BDP ranks and files but she is also known for her portfolio at the ministerial level. Since he took over, Masisi has been elevating women into leadership positions.
Serame was appointed a Specially Elected Member of Parliament during Masisi’s time. She was appointed Minister of Finance on April 16, 2021. Before then she served as the Minister of Investment, Trade, and Industry from November 2019 to April 2021. Serame was the immediate past Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary to the President from September to November 2019.
Before she was appointed Minister, she was the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Investment Trade and Industry from January 2015 to November 2019. She has served in various positions in the public service. Upon graduating she was employed as an Economist II in the then Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, Division of Economic and Financial Policy. Victory this weekend would come in handy for Serame to be elevated and better known within the party. Serame is contesting against Gosego Mmolawa and Sethu Maano-Gabanakgosi.
She will, amongst other things, have a seat in the party’s central committee, a place where the President would love to have the Finance Minister. Should she represent the BDP in the 2024 General Election, Serame will not have it easy as the opposition has had a ‘taste’ of the constituency and would fancy winning it back. The opposition had won the constituency before in 2014 with James Mathokgwane and then Kgosi Lotlamoreng II in the 2015 by-election. It is, however, expected that Serame will pull a good show with support from the powers that be. On the other hand, Serame’s win could boost Vice President Tsogwane’s campaign team because the Women’s Wing executive committee is automatically the delegate at the mother body (central committee) elective congress where Tsogwane will be running for party chair. Some women believe that Serame could do well at both cabinet and central committee to represent women's issues, especially in advocating for change and fresh women's policy issues.
In an interview, the outgoing chairperson, Veronica Lesole said: “She (Serame) will ensure that our resolutions are taken into consideration. She will be representing us at cabinet and central committee and therefore, it will be easy to convince some members of what we want as women.” She said Serame will advise women on some of the issues they would like to be presented on their position paper for the constitutional review. “Constitution is the fundamental principle that governs the country or is the one guiding any party how to run, therefore, if the quota for women representation is there, there is no way it would be overlooked,” Lesole said.
In addition, she said that currently there is nothing binding any leader on issues of women's representation and how it could be improved. She continued: “As political women, it is time we come together on issues that affect us politically and even speak for others. Our voice will be heard.
The reason why in our seminars we have asked an attorney to be there is for him/her to phrase or help us to present our issues well in a formal manner and guide us.” She further said women also want political funding to be included in the Constitution since parties and individuals are strained financially come election time. Serame is an economist by profession with a Master’s degree in Economics and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Statistics from the University of Botswana.