Inside the President's office
Monday, November 11, 2024 | 1620 Views |
Seat of power: Boko PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO
Indeed in the dramatic, almost surreal moment of transition that took place in the heart of the country's seat of power, former president Mokgweetsi Masisi on Monday handed over the keys of government, literally, to his successor, President Duma Boko.
For the few journalists who were privileged to witness this transfer of power, it was not just a handover of office; it was the passing of a torch in Botswana’s democracy – a moment when one man, having once wielded the highest power, apparently willingly relinquished it to another.
These are not ordinary times. Yet, history reminds us that this nation has navigated difficult waters before and did so by clinging firmly to the principles of prudence and macroeconomic stability. From independence in 1966, Botswana chose a path few resource-rich countries managed to sustain. Diamond revenues were not treated as windfalls for reckless expansion, but as capital to be managed with caution. The establishment of fiscal rules,...