Who is the fairest of them all?

RYDER GABATHUSE
Staff Writer | Friday December 21, 2007 00:00

As the stage is purely set for one of the bruising battles in the history of the BDP's stronghold of Palapye, Mmegi looks at the profiles of the four contestants, Professor Sheila Tlou, Moiseraele 'Master' Goya, Isaac Maforaga and Ogone Mogano. 

Tlou is the Minister of Health. She is a professor of nursing, currently on leave of absence at the University of Botswana and former Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Nursing and Midwifery Development in Primary Health care for Anglophone Africa.

She was born in Serowe some 53 years ago. She did her primary education in Palapye between 1962-64 at the Palapye Central School, which was called Kwa-Diwaeleseng. The school was christened Kwa-Diwaeleseng because in the years of yore, it used to house the British colonial government administrator and a network of communications equipment.

Tlou left Kwa-Diwaeeleseng for Riverside primary school in Serowe where she completed her Standard Seven. Her educational journey later took her to the St. Joseph's College for her Form Five.

'I was always top of my class from Sub-A until my days at St. Joseph's College and I still believe in hard work rather than getting things on a silver platter,' she says with a frozen smile on her face.

In 1974,after doing a two-year sojourn at the University of Botswana (UB), Tlou had the choice to do medicine at the Makerere University in Uganda. There was also an opportunity for her to read for a Bachelors of Science degree in Nursing in America.

'As a 20-year-old woman then, I jumped for the latter offer in the USA and I was in the first group of Batswana to read for Bachelors of Science, Nursing.'

Today, she has a PhD in Nursing Sciences and Certificates in Women's Health and Women's studies from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She completed a Masters degree in Nursing Education and Instruction at Columbia University, a Master of Science in Nursing and Psychology at the Catholic University in America.

She has published books and journal articles on Older Persons, Menopause and Community-based approaches to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support.

At international level, Tlou has provided consultancy for the WHO, the International Council of Nurses and the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. She has received several national and international awards, among them the World YWCA Woman leading Change Award, the Emang Basadi award for Distinguished Leadership in HIV/AIDS, the Florence Nightingale Award from the International Red Cross in Geneva, the Botswana Presidential Order of Honour and the Anna Reynvaan Award from The Netherlands.

In 2002, she was appointed by the UN Secretary General as Eminent Person for Women, Girls and HIV/AIDS in Southern Africa.

With such a rich CV and a high paying job at the UB, why has Tlou decided to venture into politics?

'It's all about representing the people and striving to improve their lives through conducive policies and laws,' declares Tlou, a cap in hand.

She cut her political teeth whilst a lecturer at the UB before the advent of the BDP's UB branch known as GS 26.

In 2000, she was roped into the party Central Committee and chaired the HIV/AIDS sub-committee where she later developed the HIV/AIDS policy.

When President Festus Mogae assumed power in 1998, he proposed that Tlou should take over.

'Mogae had wanted me to fill his boots, but then, I still wanted to attain the professorship so that time permitting, I could return to my UB job. Politics is a temporary job where the electorate would vote for you as long as they need you,' she says.

If she had been ready then, she could have taken Sebetela head on 'because there were some elderly people who wanted me to take over from Mogae in Palapye'.

Tlou became a professor in 1999 and in 2004, she found her way into both Parliament and Cabinet as a Specially Elected MP.

Another hurdle was that her parents did not approve of her venturing into active politics as they respected her nursing career. Her mother, a retired administrator worked as an executive administrator at the District Commissioner's office before ending her long career as an administrator at the Jubilee Hospital in Francistown. Her father was a veterinary officer.

'My parents just find politics to be a stressful career and they wanted me to try my luck at politics in 2009. But, they tended to give up after my nomination to Parliament and appointment to Cabinet.'

Tlou got married to her husband and historian Professor Thomas Tlou in 1977 whilst in the US. The husband was then a diplomat based in Washington. They have been blessed with three children, who are also pursuing their careers.

Born 45 years ago, the left-handed Goya, who is popularly known as 'Master' to his peers and supporters did his primary education in Palapye before proceeding to Moeng College.

During his heyday, Master was a gifted sportsperson who played a number of ball games including football; ping-pong and his thunderous smashes will remain in the minds of many.

From Moeng College, he spent a year at the Morupule Colliery mine where he was employed as an assistant store supervisor.

He joined the Standard Chartered Bank in 1983 and rose through the ranks to the Head of Recoveries Unit based at the head office in Gaborone. He currently has 24 years of loyalty to the bank.

He is credited as the first youngest Motswana to hold the position of branch manager in Botswana. He is also hailed as the first Motswana to be seconded to Uganda as a branch manager of Standard Chartered Bank there. This was in 1999-2000.

He boasts to be having an extensive knowledge and experience in banking theory and practice.

'I have the ability and experience in people management and resolution of work- related issues. Excellent ability to create a can-do culture with rewards for good performance,' he says.

Master, who is currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration with the Mancosa University, holds a Post-Graduate Diploma in Management from Nottingham Trent University, UK.

Although he duly registered and obtained the party's life membership in 2002, Master has always been a staunch supporter of the BDP policies.

He is an advocate of the late Sir Seretse Khama's philosophy and in particular he feels he has what it takes to represent the needs of the people.

With a sound anti-crime stance, he says he will liaise with all the players to establish the root cause of violent crime in Palapye.

As a very energetic person, he promises to launch campaigns and help the unemployed youths find jobs. He recognises the fact that as a town, Palapye also has a problem of attracting people from the environs who come here in search of employment
There are many other issues of development that he would advocate to help Palapye grow.

Mogano retired from the civil service last year after serving for almost 34 years. After successfully completing her Cambridge in Swaneng in 1970, the following year she enrolled as a Registred Nurse at what by then was called the National Health Institute in Gaborone.

After completing her Bachelor of Education in Nursing at the University of Botswana in 1981, she left the hospital to lecture to trainee nurses.

In 1986, she completed her Master of Science in Community Health Nursing and Primary Health Care Nursing Specialist from the University of Arizona Tucson, US. Between 1994-95, she accumulated PhD credits in Health Services Management with La Salle University, US. She managed to complete all course work except dissertation.

Mogano joined the BDP in 1998 simply because she fell in love with the party.' I felt I should belong somewhere in political circles,' she says.

Her interest in politics was aroused as she was reading for her Bachelors of Education, Nursing at the UB between 1978-81. 'The programme that I was reading at the UB included, amongst others a bit of political science.

My in-laws later pushed me into politics as the late Motlhabapitse Mogano would call me to the shade of the Mogonono tree and lecture politics to me,' she reminisces.

'As principal of the Institute of Health Sciences (IHS), I have always led my peers who would elect me to lead them if we were to present an issue to the employer.'

Because of her eloquence, and ability to put a point across, she was an obvious choice by her peers.

'I have been a leader since my school days. In 1970, I was appointed a head girl in Swaneng.' She is happy that in her entire career, she has never held a position without leadership.

Mogano says some Palapye elders approached her to run for the 1998 by-election, unfortunately she was in America pursuing studies.

'On my return, I could not raise any other excuse and that is the reason why I am in the race, to meet the demands of the people who need my services.' She enjoys support from her husband, a retired educationist, who is currently a member of the Palapye Sub Land Board.

Twenty-eight-year-old Maforaga has also schooled in Palapye. Besides working in the family business, the youngest of the Palapye contestants has worked in the Central District Council as a revenue officer.

Maforaga is a tireless fighter whose perseverance would pay in the end. Currently the chairman of the House of Hope in Palapye, Vision 2016 Council member appointed by President Mogae from 2006-09 and a Botswana National Youth Council (BNYC) board member, amongst others.

He was previously a political officer for BDP Palapye branch and was nominated to the BDP National Youth Executive Committee (NYEC) as the deputy general secretary from 2004-06.

In his own words, being young does not stop one from accumulating knowledge and achieving great things in life. Challenging Sebetela in 2004 was a great eye-opener to him.

'I have never rested ever since the 2004 general election as I knew another chance would come. I know the needs of the people of Palapye and representing them will be an easy task.'

As a young politician, he would like to see Palapye growing with the people. In particular, he is worried by the slow allocation of land which he argues slows down the development of the town.

He grew up in the home of BDP politicians. His father Lucky Maforaga was the first councillor for Serorome ward in Palapye and his mother is an active BDP member.

'I am home here and I need not introduce myself. As regards the enhancement of my education, I take it that education is an ongoing thing and I would continue upgrading myself,' he declares proudly. He wants to serve as an example to his peers that even the youth have potential in contributing to the country's development.

He has his own company called Pal-Frey, which he expects to develop into a successful business enterprise. At his age, he is not married but at least he is already taken as he has been running around Palapye with someone very dear to his heart.