The hawkish, reliable right-hand man

He reports that Merafhe has been an attack dog and elder that both the BDP and government could not do without. Merafhe adjusted very well into civilian life and joined active politics in 1989 after retiring from the army where he had been founding commander of the Botswana Defence Force (BDF).

He would later become one of the longest serving Foreign Affairs Ministers in the region after 14 years in the docket. From the ministry, he was appointed vice president by President Ian Khama, his former number two in the army.