Boko announces six out of 18 Cabinet members

Sharon Mathala | Monday November 11, 2024 17:29

The announcement, made in the Office of the President (OP) Cabinet Room, includes the Minister of Finance and Vice President Ndaba Gaolathe, Minister of Health Dr Stephen Modise, and his assistant Lawrence Ookeditse. A new ministry, the Ministry of Child Welfare and Basic Education, will be headed by Nono Kgafela-Mokoka.

Dr Micus Chombombi will head the Ministry of Lands and Agriculture and will be deputised by Dr Edwin Dikoloti.

Miss World Africa Lesego Chombo and law graduate, will head the Ministry of Youth and Gender Affairs whilst Dr Phenyo Butale is the new Minister of International Relations.

“This is only the first batch. We will announce more Cabinet ministers as the week progresses,” Boko said.

Asked how many Cabinet ministers he intends to have, the President replied: “I wanted 10 but after advice from professionals both locally and internationally we have settled for 18.”

Meanwhile, the President has admitted that he has inherited a troubled government. He said his strategy for running the government will be two-fold: the 'is-proposition' and the 'ought-proposition'.

According to Boko, the 'is-proposition' is: 'Where we are as a country and as a nation. We are going to be brutally frank and honest with each other. We will take Batswana into confidence and where we have challenges, we will say them out.”

For the ought proposition, the President said it is how his administration will take Botswana forward. “This is not about blueprints. It is about the formula of getting us out of where we are. There is no ready solution, and we are going to have to change the routine and attitude we have settled in. We will have to get out of our comfort zones,” he said.

Read the full story in tomorrow's (Tuesday) edition of The Monitor.