Tiger gets new face
Wednesday, May 26, 2021
Almost three years after ascending to the highest office in the land, President Mokgweetsi Masisi’s portrait was on Monday finally featured on the new P10 note.
Masisi becomes the eighth Motswana to appear on the Botswana banknotes since the Pula Day, August 23, 1976 when the country finally introduced its own currency. Other figures that have graced the Pula banknotes include all the former presidents namely: Sir Seretse Khama, who used to appear on all the notes until 1998, but currently features only on the P50 note, President Sir Ketumile Masire, President Festus Mogae and President Ian Khama. Other figures featured on the banknotes are the composer of the national anthem, Kgalemang Tumediso Motsete whose portrait appears on the P20 note and the three dikgosi,, Kgosi Bathoen I, Kgosi Sebele and Kgosi Khama III, all on the P100 note.
It highlights the need to protect rights such as access to clean water, education, healthcare and freedom of expression.President Duma Boko, rightly honours past interventions from securing a dignified burial for Gaoberekwe Pitseng in the CKGR to promoting linguistic inclusion. Yet, they also expose a critical truth, that a nation cannot sustainably protect its people through ad hoc acts of compassion alone.It is time for both government and the...