General Galebotswe inherited a military with obsolete equipment

When Lieutenant General Gaolatlhe Galebotswe took over command at Botswana Defence Force a few years ago, I viewed him as a man who was enveloped by the worst challenges as well as the best opportunities any Commander of the Defence Force (CDF) has ever faced in the history of the military organisation.

Beginning with Lt Gen Mompati Merafhe in 1977, he was equally faced with fewer challenges and opportunities. Looking at the trend of development at BDF, one would come to the conclusion that the challenges and opportunities have been growing with time as the organisation matures. For those who fought the Rhodesian War (Zimbabwe War of Liberation), they certainly would disagree with my views because they think the war was the apex of all problems in the defence force.

Fighting a war is not necessarily a standard barometer for determining challenges. Of course war is what every commander would want to avoid but we need to understand that the military exists to fight wars. If you come into contact with the founding officers of BDF, they would tell you that the organisation no longer has challenges. It depends on how they define challenges.

Editor's Comment
Stakeholders must step up veggie supply

The Ministry of Agriculture, local producers, retailers, and industry associations must work together to overcome the obstacles hindering vegetable production and distribution.This collaborative approach is essential to improve the availability, quality, and affordability of vegetables in the market.Firstly, the Ministry of Agriculture should provide support and guidance to local farmers to enhance their productivity and efficiency. This could...

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