Kutlo Motseta
8th November 2024
The landslide victory by the United Democratic Congress(UDC) in last week’s national election and the palpable emotion of voters was visible at the inauguration of the country’s sixth president, His Excellency Advocate Duma Boko, at the Botswana National stadium today in Gaborone, Botswana.
The stadium was packed with the sounds of urban artists such as local hit song, “Sala le nna’by the late Dramaboi and segregation civil rights song “Glory,” by Common, lit the atmosphere.
Local urban, Tswana traditional and amapiano music represented the diversity of generations that came to witness the most historic moment in Botswana’s history since independence, the first inaugurationof a new ruling party.
“I am happy about the new government because they going to make changes which are relevant to the current times. They understand technology … the times for the older generation is past, they can relate better to younger people …. But they can also relate to older people because they have elders at their homes. They also havea better appreciation of the sentiment on the ground,” said Boitumelo Pheto, a 49 years old female voter from Mochudi, Botswana.
Enjoying the atmosphere she said, “they day started with gospel … everything is flowing well.”
“I slept early, because I knew I had to be wake up early … I choose the opposition,the UDC and BCP to lead at council and parliament”, she said. “I ama Motswana; I don’t have a party I just didn’t want the red party … In Kgatleng (district) we do not choose parties we chose people to lead”, said Pheto who has voted at least four elections.
Boike Tsime, a 66-year-old male from Thamaga, was excited and was urged by his family to go and ‘inaugurate’ the president. “[before I slept] I was just thinking of coming here, to come and inaugurate our president … I am filled with happiness … I have come to celebrate our president … we have to come praise our new government,” said Tsime.
“I am very happy about the events that are happening in our peaceful country. I had concerns about the possibility of civil unrest because in other countries blood gets spilled when government’s change … our country is blessed and our county has been prayed for,” he said.
Tsime observed, “They were celebrating at home and urged me to come and ‘inaugurate our child’, that’s when I took my children to come to the stadium … The president and the vice presidents ages are fine, we wanted to have a new government … this country has lots of potential”.
The President arrived in a motorcade and was greeted with a deafening sound from the audience. He was led the First Lady, Kaone Boko, to the Presidential Suite as the crowd continued to celebrate the face of change.
As is customary in Botswana, a Praise Poet led to salutations to the President and ended some stanzas with the urban slang phrase, “that’s my boy.”
President Boko, took to the stage and eloquently delivered his inaugural speech.
“All of my fellow citizens patriots and from near and far, I stand before you and God almighty profoundly humbled. In our culture a child is born in a community and it takes a village and several villages to raise a child,” he said.
Boko said, “A few years ago, a small boy in Mahalapye played in dusty plains and walked barefoot, he laughed and learned … growing tall, growing big, how big would he grow, this I could not answer I leave it you and the world … You raised this boy you nurtured this boy … you look before me and say that’s my boy … you say that because you raised the boy, you say so because you loved the boy, you say so because deep down he loves you back.”
The crowd erupted in applause. He continued, “With gratitude I stand before an embodiment of you true resolve … you are the true architects of today … this is Botswana!”.
The names of attendant dignitaries were announced periodically. The biggest applause was naturally reserved for the leader of change, Boko and jeers were levelled at the face of the defeated BDP, former President Dr Eric Mokgweetsi Masisi and his Former Vice President Slumber Tsogwane.
Vice President Ndaba Gaolathe, Former President Festus Mogae and Lieutenant General Seretse Khama Ian Khama were greeted with loud cheers.
Olympic 200m Gold Medallist Letsile Tebogo had the crowd briefly chanting his name.
However, after President Advocate Boko placed Dr. Masisi’s historic concession as both exemplary and praiseworthy it helped to tone down the animosity to the former President.
As he added, “… thanks to Eric Mokgweetsi Masisi, give him some love, hug him in your soul, embrace him in your heart … For that singular act his name is written in the courthouse of eternity.”
