‘The woman of many firsts’ turns 100
Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Tuesday October 25, 2022 10:00
Chiepe was born on October 20, 1922. She is a former politician with the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) and a renowned diplomat, having been Botswana’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Nigeria as well as an ambassador to the then West Germany, France, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and the then European Economic Community.
Mma Chiepe, as she is affectionately known, was Botswana’s Minister for Trade and Industry in 1977 and in 1984 she became the Minister of Foreign Affairs. She then later served as Minister of Education from 1994 to 1999.
However, this is not all as Mma Chiepe counts a number of firsts to her name: she was the first Motswana woman to earn a diploma and college degree and the first Motswana woman to earn a postgraduate degree.
At Botswana’s Independence in 1966, Mma Chiepe became Botswana’s first Director of Education and was asked to design a system that would bring education to people across the nation based on a homegrown curriculum, which was sensitive and fair for all the communities that make up Botswana.
The country’s modern policies, which are designed to give all children access to basic education and to maximise enrolment levels, stem from the efforts made by Mma Chiepe and her colleagues during her years in the education portfolio.
Today, Botswana boasts one of Africa’s highest literacy rates and one of the continent’s highest progression rates from primary, to secondary and tertiary education.
In addition to her work in education, Mma Chiepe also takes pride in being: First Female African High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (1970–1974), Cabinet Minister in the Republic of Botswana (1974–1999), Commander of the Royal Order of Polar Star, King of Sweden (2006), Grand Cordon, Order of the Rising Sun, Japan (2010).
This week, former BDP chairman, Daniel Kwelagobe, who also previously served as Minister of Presidential Affairs, told Mmegi that Mma Chiepe proved that women had the ability to lead and had a lot to offer.
He added that the centenarian led a number of ministries diligently and contributed a lot to the country’s education as well as sectors such as commerce and industry. “Dr Chiepe is a principled woman and she had always been even back when she was working for the government,” Kwelagobe said.
“She liked things done right. Nne a sa rate tsietsa Motswana in a sense that when we went for government official meetings, she would never allow us to sell the party to the public.
“She liked saying, ‘o seka wa lebega e kare o a tsietsa’. We used to go to different meetings across the country, but she would never allow us to talk about our party in those meetings.
“She would always remind us that we have gone there to deliver the government’s duties and told us that if we had other things apart from what duty sent us to do, we could still make arrangements to go there and sell the party at our own time.” Kwelagobe added that through Mma Chiepe he learnt dedication to duty and work.
He said it was through her inspiration that he became dedicated to his duties and work while still serving as BDP chairman for 27 years. He also said her diligence in work made him do the same.
This week, Kwelagobe visited Mma Chiepe in the company of other prominent politicians such as Shirley Segokgo-Molosiwa, Dr Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi and Tebelelo Seretse to deliver a birthday message to the centenarian. Mma Chiepe read the message out loud without the aid of spectacles.
The message reads as: ”A democrat, a principled colleague and a committed public officer to the end, you made all those whom you worked with proud with your resolute etiquette.
Those that watched from a distance could only marvel at the quiet diplomacy that became synonymous with your administration.
We can only say thank you for serving your country, thank you that we were part of what you were, thank you that you have shown generations to come that women are equally capable to take on controversy even when it is at its ugliest.
“The liberation of South Africa came because some of our words were carefully crafted and ably presented by you. Thank you. May this day marking your 100[th] birthday be a day filled with prayers from us your colleagues for blessings, happiness, and good health.
May God continue to keep and protect you.” Amongst the well-wishers this week was the current President, Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi, who wrote: “Today is a very special day, a day like no other. Exactly 100 years ago on this day, Dr Gaositwe Keagakwa Tibe Chiepe fondly known as ‘Mme Mma Chiepe’ was born.
A strong and incredible woman of many firsts, Dr Chiepe helped shape our country’s democracy and success.
As a nation, we give gratitude for her selflessness, hard work, and patriotism. Re a go leboga mmaarona.
Happy 100th birthday Mme Mma Chiepe”. The former president of Botswana, Ian Khama also wrote a birthday message that described Dr Chiepe as a remarkable woman who dedicated her life to national service.
He said Chiepe established a legacy by upholding traditional Setswana values such as selflessness, respect, perseverance and hard work. “It is notably inspiring that Mma Chiepe dedicated her life to improving the life opportunities of so many girls and ensuring that Africans, particularly women can sit at tables previously denied to them,” he noted. In their birthday message, the UCCSA Trinity Church indicated that Dr Chiepe was a member of the church and also a founding church treasurer. They noted that she was the daughter of a London Missionary preacher and became a founding member of the Trinity Church executive after LMS/UCCSA Minister Reverend Derek Jones pioneered the Gaberones Union Church in 1965–66.
“As a founding treasurer, Mma Chiepe worked with Rev Jones and ecumenical partners in mobilising appeal funds for the construction of Independence-era Gaborone’s first Christian church, Trinity. She was present for the laying of the foundation stone and the official opening of Trinity in 1966 and stayed a loyal member since. In October 1967, Mma Chiepe and fellow ‘MaLontone’ Botswana Congregationalists, accompanied Rev Jones and Rev Albert Lock to Durban, South Africa for the inaugural UCCSA Assembly.” “A member of Trinity Kgaolo Five, Mma Chiepe has been a dedicated servant of her local church for over 56 years. Trinity Church and our sister local churches of the UCCSA including your local childhood church, Serowe Congregational Church join hands in expressing gratitude for your Christian service and wishing you a blessed centenary. Happy birthday, Mmaarona.” As Mmegi, we also say Happy Birthday Dr Chiepe!