Merafhe dies
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Thursday January 8, 2015 12:56
The government spokesperson Dr Jeff Ramsay confirmed the passing away of Merafhe.
“It is with a deep sense of loss that we have been informed that one of our nation’s outstanding statesmen, His Honour the Former Vice President, Lieutenant General Mompati Sebogodi Merafhe, passed away this morning.
“From his initial appointment as Police constable in 1960 until his retirement as Vice President in 2012 General Merafhe remained a model public servant whose various contributions to Botswana’s progress will be remembered for generations to come,” Ramsay said.
In December 2014, his family asked President Ian Khama to drop Merafhe from the party central committee because of his health. He was dropped and replaced by Vice President Mokgweetsi Masisi.
Merafhe has been under the care of his family in Serowe. He has stayed out of the public limelight since ill health drove him away from the second highest post in the land in 2012. Merafhe was an additional committee member at the time of his exit. He has served in different BDP party committees.
The 79-year-old became an MP in 1989 after serving as commander of the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) from its establishment.
The retired Lieutenant General was the Minister of Presidential Affairs and Public Administration until he was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1994, a portfolio he held for 14 years.
He was appointed vice president when his successor at the BDF, Ian Khama became president on April 1, 2008.
Merafhe was born in Serowe. After a career in the army, he retired and entered politics in 1989. He was first elected to the central committee of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) in 1991 and has remained on the body since then. Merafhe was the Member of Parliament for Mahalapye West since the 1994 until he retired on July 31 2012 due to ill health.
He took the vice presidency office on April 1, the same day president Khama took office as the president of the country in 2008. He received 48 out of 56 votes, with no votes against, two spoiled, and six abstentions.
Merafhe is survived his wife and five children.