15 September 2008
editorial
Former president Festus Mogae might be out of the office but he is continuing his legacy in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Last week, Mogae hosted a high profile anti-AIDS meeting for the Champions of an AIDS-Free Generation in Gaborone. The champions include former presidents Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia, Joachim Chissano of Mozambique and Benjamin Mkapa of Tanzania. Others are Justice Edwin Cameron, Professor Marriam Were, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
This is a good initiative by Mogae and all those who are with him in the group. During his term, he took the challenge to fight HIV/AIDS. He stood up at a time when many leaders were still shy to speak openly about HIV/AIDS.
As a result, Botswana stood out as an example of how a country which is badly affected by the epidemic can stem the tide. Botswana is now counted among the countries which are winning the fight against HIV/AIDS. The current initiative of Mogae and his group will go a long way in helping to address the HIV/AIDS problem in Africa and the world.
Countries should take advantage of the wisdom of the former leaders in areas where they proved their worth while in office. It is not in doubt Mogae did a lot for this country in the fight against HIV/AIDS pandemic. Kaunda was well respected while Tutu is a well known human rights activist.
As a way of recognising his good work in the fight against HIV/AIDS, Mogae was retained as the chairperson of the National AIDS Coordinating Council (NACA) in Botswana. His group of champions seem very serious as they are planning to set up an office in Gaborone. The person identified to head the office has immense experience. We hope that he will help the champions to achieve their goals.
It is also good to hear that the champions want to co-opt a youth into their group so that he can represent the voice of the young. This is a good gesture by the champions. The youth is a vulnerable group which is highly affected by HIV/AIDS. The youth co-opted by the champions should be someone capable of carrying out the mandate.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2008 Mmegi/The Reporter. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
