Masire: Statesman par excellence
Ryder Gabathuse | Monday June 26, 2017 15:54
This was at a time when the respective liberation struggles of Botswana’s neighbours; South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, were in full swing, and their effects spilled over into Botswana with catastrophic results.
Masire, who passed on last week only a month shy of 92 years, was raised by peasants and he rose to beat head and shoulder above the rest to lead the country from nothing to its current level of middle-income status.
In fact, he was part of a government that fought very hard to change the fortunes of a country that made it to a list of the 10 poorest countries in the world and often described as a desert. He was a teacher and journalist before taking up the political office. The Kanye-born farmer borrowed to politics, as he liked to tell his listeners, succeeded the nation’s founding father, the late Sir Seretse Khama with whom they helped in the formation of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) and its government alongside others.
It was only befitting for Masire to succeed Seretse as he was his right hand man after forming the BDP together in 1962 and continued in the post-Independence era together. Masire’s statesmanship and leadership prowess and good neighbourliness were put to stern test early in his presidency, especially in 1985, when Botswana experienced disturbing hostilities from some of its neighbours as it was accused of harbouring freedom fighters. The 1985 raid of Gaborone by South Africa during the Apartheid era comes to mind as 15 people died as a result of the devastating raid. Many more sporadic raids were experienced.
Botswana’s diplomatic abilities were put to test as it never dreamt of retaliating more so that its military might could not match its neighbours’ at the time. On the northern side another neighbour, Namibia did not take kindly to Botswana’s occupation of the tiny Sedudu Island along the Chobe River and took the matter to the International Court of Justice. On the other hand, one of Botswana’s longest neighbour, Zimbabwe accused the Masire-led government of harbouring ZAPU guerrillas.
Botswana did not even consider the strength of its military armoury, which was also nothing to write home about, but rather it took the country’s diplomatic engagements with its ‘trigger happy’ neighbours to avert war as that was not even on Masire’s menu as the President.
Masire’s respect for international relations, charisma and as a renowned negotiator par excellence caught the eye of the international community. It was not by fluke that he was the SADC chairman for over 10 years. After his retirement from politics, Masire proved himself useful as he was appointed facilitator of the peace process in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In 2001, Masire deservingly received a Statesman of the Year award, which added a feather onto the multi-feathered hat won by the charismatic Masire.
On the domestic front and during his tenure as Seretse Khama’s deputy and Finance Minister, Rra-Gaone (as Masire was popularly known) became synonymous with prudence in the fiscus and monetary policy.
He literally enforced discipline in government spending. Masire is credited for the development of programmes which saved Batswana from the impact of drought. Accelerated Rainfed Arable Programme (ARAP), Arable Lands Development Programme (ALDEP), Services to Livestock Owners in Communal Areas (SLOCA) and the Financial Assistance Programme (FAP) are some of the programmes he developed.
It was during his tenure that corruption started manifesting in many forms because the diamond-led economy was booming and hence he established the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) and the Ombudsman.
His thick profile shows that between 1998 and 2000 he served as chairperson of the International Panel of Eminent Personalities Investigating the Circumstances Surrounding the 1994 Rwanda Genocide. From 2000 to 2003 he was the facilitator for the Inter-Congolese Dialogue. Masire’s contributions have been mainly recognised by the international community. He has received Honorary Doctorates from University of Botswana, St John University, De Paul University, Williams College, Sussex University, University of Port Elizabeth, Ohio University, and Carlton College.
In 1989 Masire was awarded the Africa Prize for Leadership for the Sustainable End of Hunger, the Grand Counsellor of the Royal Order of Sobhuza II (Swaziland), Honorary Knighthood of the Grand Cross of Saint Michael and Saint George (UK), and the Order of the Welwitschia (Namibia).
In terms of memberships and associations Masire is the founder of the Sir Ketumile Masire Foundation, Co-Chairperson of the Global Coalition for Africa, Board Member of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, Member of Club de Madrid and Member of the Africa Forum.