allAfrica.com: Botswana: The Movers on Khama's Chess Board (Page 1 of 2)

President Ian Khama has fired five ministers from former President Festus Mogae's cabinet which he inherited on Tuesday when he assumed the presidency. While there was grunting and gnashing of teeth amongst the ministers who were dropped, six other Members of Parliament (MPs) have since been appointed into cabinet.

The biggest movers of all are Selebi-Phikwe East Member of Parliament (MP) Nonofo Molefhi and Ghanzi South MP Christiaan De Graaf who moved from the back bench up into cabinet as full ministers.

Nonofo Molefhi - new Minister of Lands and Housing

Molefhi is a first-time legislator who joined the National Assembly after the last general elections in 2004. He defeated the opposition Botswana National Front and Botswana Congress Party in the copper mining town of Selebi-Phikwe. Prior to him joining politics, he had served the civil service as a District Officer in the District Commissioner's office. Molefhi has also served as a youth coordinator. Molefhi is a Mongwato from Serowe although his name is often confused with the royal Molefis in Kgatleng.

While in Parliament, Molefhi made his name in the area of health, in particular HIV/Aids. Together with Robert Molefhabangwe his participation in Aids activities has been sterling. Whether rightly or wrongly Molefhi has been considered a member of the Kedikilwe-Kwelagobe faction.

Of late he has been gaining recognition as a very good interpreter a feat which he must have learnt during his service as a youth coordinator, district commissioner and a coordinator of various independence celebrations including TAICU. Prior to interpreting for President Khama during his inauguration he had interpreted for him during his speech at the BDP farewell dinner for President Mogae at the National Stadium last Saturday. Molefhi is often described as a born again Christian.

Molefhi's training is in the area of social work. Although the Ministry of Lands has very little close to his training those who know him closely say he is productive and has very good personal working relationship. He is a good speaker who values concession and compromise and this might come handy in his dealings with low income squatters.

Christiaan De Graaf

Prior to his appointment as minister of Agriculture, De Graaf had gained a reputation as one of the mute MPs in the House. He hardly said a word in Parliament. De Graaf has been on record as saying he does not speak Setswana and English very well and as such his participation in parliamentary discussions could be hampered. He is said to be fluent in Afrikaans and Sesarwa.

Before entering Parliament De Graaf had been a master farmer in the Ghanzi area.

It is conceivable that President Khama believes that De Graaf as a practising and successful farmer could help turn around the agricultural sector. Over the many years agriculture has been progressively dropping such that today its contribution in GDP is insignificant.

It is often said that Khama believes in results and that he pays little attention to other things. To him what matters is that he needs someone who can give agriculture the impetus and he believes De Graaf fits that bill. Some even say agriculture has lost traction because a lot of emphasis at the ministry and in government has been placed on academic qualification rather than practical involvement. Even without the intellectual rigour to conjure up strategic agricultural vision there seems to be a very practical approach to issues of delivery, if Khama's inaugural speech is anything to go by. Farmers believe that De Graaf has the make-up to succeed in the ministry that was gradually losing its grip.

Gladys Kokorwe - Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture

Kokorwe has already announced that she will not contest her parliamentary seat in the 2009 general elections. As Deputy Speaker she was already the equivalent of an Assistant minister but her movement is still great.

As she leaves the stage she is given a valedictory appointment as full minister. Ever since she entered Parliament in 1995 when she replaced the late Peter Mmusi, Kokorwe has served as an assistant minister but this is the first time that she is appointed full minister.

Kokorwe has worked as council secretary and city clerk during her public life. Her name has been mentioned as one of the possible contestants for the post of Speaker after the 2009 general elections. She has herself admitted that she would love to serve as a Speaker some day.

Samson Guma - Assistant Minister of Finance and Development Planning

The last time the name of Guma Moyo was mentioned in public was when the then Vice President Ian Khama made a joke about sending him back to Zimbabwe, which he said was Moyo's native country. The next time Khama spoke about Moyo it was not a joke even though it was on April Fools day - he appointed him to cabinet as Assistant Minister of Finance and Development Planning.

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