From housekeeper to youngest councillor
Lesedi Mkhutshwa | Tuesday April 8, 2025 11:24
After only four months in office, Mokwasi characterised her new leadership position as a stepping stone and a ray of hope for young people who have faith in their dreams. In an interview with Mmegi, the 21-year-old said that during her tenure in council she will promote youth inclusivity in governance.
The soft-spoken, young leader indicated that she aspires to be a game changer in the political aspect in terms of changing people’s lives. 'I want to explore and shape ideas to encourage youth inclusivity in decision-making,' she said. She believed that the youth should have a direct input so that they have a voice in today’s solutions. According to the 21-year-old councillor, young people are crucial to changing the city's economy.
Mokwasi also said that the largest demographic is young people, and they are their greatest source of creativity and economic potential would be missed if they are excluded. Mokwasi further said that she is also going to advocate for fostering community development. She stated that she is going to engage the community she serves in Francistown East and gather the residents' feedback and ideas.
Mokwasi elaborated that in order to give young people opportunity, programs would be established that will strengthen their capacity for management. She emphasised that the city is faced with youth unemployment which is believed that youth empowerment is crucial during the dire economic status faced by the city.
The city's mayor, Gaone Majere, recently stated that the Tati mine would soon reopen, which the youngest nominated councillor was pleased to hear because she hoped it would provide much-needed opportunities for the city.
She explained that, while growing up, Tati mine was the backbone of the city’s economy and since it closures Francistown has been suffering economically. The goal-oriented young leader also wants to prioritise issues of youth and play an active role in the community. She stated that for young people to thrive, real chances must be established for them by providing the much-needed platform.
Additionally, Mokwasi intends to take the lead in addressing issues linked to gender-based violence (GBV), which are now on the rise in the city. She declared that to encourage social interaction, she would regularly organise community events through Kgotla meetings.
Mokwasi suggested that to provide knowledge and allow the youth to speak with her directly about pressing concerns, she should also establish a digital platform. Speaking about her political journey, Mokwasi said that she grew up in a political family. She maintained that her great-grandfather was one of the Botswana People Party (BPP) activists.
“Growing up and witnessing my family, particularly my grandpa being a political activist inspired me to also join the party and make a difference in people’s lives,” she added. She further said that in recent years, she upped her game when she joined the Francistown West BPP under the Umbrella Democratic Change (UDC) campaign team.
She stated that it was not any easy task, but they had to strategise for the success of the candidate. Mokwasi stated that it was at that particular juncture that she knew she was born to serve, hence her interest to be part of the nominated councillor.
Regarding her education and experience, she started working as a housekeeper at the Adansonia Hotel after finishing her Botswana General Certificate Secondary Education (BGCSE) in 2021. In addition, the young leader stated that she loves to play football, read, research, travel, and explore, but most of all, she loves to attend church.