Who will be the new sports minister?
Staff Writer | Friday November 1, 2019 11:07
Since 2014, the Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development has been Thapelo Olopeng, until late changes, when Tshekedi Khama was brought in this year.
Khama’s stay was short-lived, as he resigned, with his assistant, Philip Dikgang Makgalemele installed on an interim basis just before the country’s general elections.
Both Makgalemele and Olopeng lost the elections, while Khama now belongs to the opposition after joining the Botswana Patriotic Front.
Eyes will be on Masisi to pick his sports minister from the new crop of Members of Parliament (MPs), but he can turn to specially elected legislators to fill the vacancy.
There has been talk of new Mogoditshane MP, Tumiso Rakgare, being amongst the favourites to take over, but there are sceptics, who believe he still needs time to entrench himself in operations.
Dorcas Makgato might have lost in the parliamentary election, but has been mentioned amongst those who will return through special nomination.
If Makgato does, she presents the President with another option, as she diligently handled the Botswana National Sport Commission’s duties.
There are dark horses for the post, with the President likely to spring a surprise, but sport would be keen for a minister who will address a plethora of challenges, which have bedevilled the sector for ages.