Oh what a State funeral!

The Monitor Editor | Wednesday May 20, 2026 06:00

That rare sight deserves heartfelt praise, not only for President Duma Boko and his administration, but also for the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), the Mogae family, and the entire country.

President Boko’s decision to grant a full state funeral to a man who belonged to a rival party was a mark of true statesmanship. He recognised that national leadership carries a weight that belongs to the whole republic, not to one political camp. In doing so, he demonstrated the very democratic maturity he later praised in Mogae. His administration executed the arrangements with solemnity and grace, giving the former president the send-off a grateful nation owed him.

The BDP’s response was equally remarkable. It is not easy to stand before a crowd and publicly thank a political opponent, yet Tebelelo Seretse and Daniel Kwelagobe did exactly that. Their words, warmly applauded by mourners, acknowledged that the respect Boko showed Mogae was not a mere formality but a profound gesture. It spoke of a party that, in mourning, rediscovered the virtue of putting the country before partisan pride. Such humility, especially from a party unaccustomed to being in opposition, sets a valuable example.

The UDC, as the ruling party, also deserves credit. It would have been tempting to use the occasion to score quite political points, yet the party stood back and allowed the day to belong to Mogae and to Botswana. That restraint reflected a government confident enough to honour the past without feeling threatened by it.

Behind every public servant stands a family that quietly sacrifices, and the Mogae family endured years of sharing their husband and father with the nation. Boko rightly reminded the gathering that Mogae’s strength came from those who bore the slights and burdens alongside him. The family’s composure and generosity in allowing the country to mourn collectively should not go unremarked.

Ordinary Batswana played their part. In a political climate often marked by sharp divisions, the nation paused and came together. Mourners from all walks of life, regardless of how they vote, gathered to remember a leader who served with humility. That collective act of unity is the true measure of a mature democracy.

Mogae’s burial was a fleeting moment, but its lesson need not fade. Political foes can honour one another without betraying their principles. If that spirit can survive beyond the funeral, Botswana will be richer for it.