‘The woman of many firsts’ turns 100

Icon: Dr Chiepe PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO & PRABOOK.COM
Icon: Dr Chiepe PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO & PRABOOK.COM

She is known as the ‘woman of many firsts.' Dr Gaositwe Chiepe remains an influential and inspirational trailblazer to many young women and girls. On Thursday, she turned 100-year- old and the nation fittingly showered her with birthday messages and adulation. Mmegi Correspondent, NNASARETHA KGAMANYANE writes

Chiepe was born on October 20, 1922. She is a former politician with the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) and a renowned diplomat, having been Botswana’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Nigeria as well as an ambassador to the then West Germany, France, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and the then European Economic Community.

Mma Chiepe, as she is affectionately known, was Botswana’s Minister for Trade and Industry in 1977 and in 1984 she became the Minister of Foreign Affairs. She then later served as Minister of Education from 1994 to 1999.

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BDP primaries leave a lot to be desired

The BDP as a party known to have ample resources has always held its primaries well in time, but this time around that was not the case. The first leg of the primaries was held last weekend, with the final leg being billed for the coming weekend. This time around, the BDP failed to shine in its primary elections. The elections were chaotic; most if not all polling stations didn't open at the specified time of 6am. Loyal BDP members braved the...

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