Mmegi

Remembering the great Lefesto: Anecdotes of a millennial

President Mogae was a pragmatic leader. PIC PHATSIMO KAPENG
President Mogae was a pragmatic leader. PIC PHATSIMO KAPENG

Former president Festus Mogae passed on a few months before Botswana celebrates its 60 years of independence. In this personal essay, KELETSO THOBEGA goes down memory lane to the early days in her hometown, Lobatse, which is celebrating its 127th anniversary, and remembers Mogae’s legacy.

A few days prior to learning about the passing of former President Festus Mogae, I had been to my hometown, Lobatse, on personal business. I bumped into a childhood friend, and we reminisced about days gone by. We remembered the fun days of playing with bicycles at the BMC quarters where we lived. We remembered how we would walk to the local stadium or Peleng grounds to watch the home-side team, Extension Gunners, which we called ‘Ezimnyama.’ My memory jogged to special times, like when the KTM choir visited our town, and we would dress up for the concerts.

I recall this one time I was given fifty Pula as pocket money, which at that time was a lot of money (during our time, taxi fare was two Pula and bread was three Pula). As the choir prepared to leave, I took my pocket money and asked the conductor to ask the choir to return on stage one last time and sing my favourite choral from them, Mississippi.

Editor's Comment
Batswana need to do better to stop FMD

It is a clear signal that the government’s purse is empty and that our own behaviour has left veterinary officials fighting with one hand tied behind their backs. We have been here before. During COVID-19, many of us thought we knew better. We ignored simple rules, we carried on as if the danger was someone else’s problem, and the virus took lives and left our economy on its knees. We are still broke from that experience. Yet now, with FMD...

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