Ian Khama ÔÇô Barring a tragedy of epic proportions, Ian Khama is set to assume the presidency immediately upon Festus Mogae’s retirement.
Mogae has more than once said that he favours the present arrangement of automatic succession.
Mogae has never had any problem, including going against the rules by publicly endorsing Khama against PHK Kedikilwe in the contest for BDP Chairmanship four years ago.
It’s now a given that Khama will become Botswana’s fourth state president.
Even before assuming the republic’s highest office, Khama, the son of the country’s founding president, already wields immense powers, enjoys huge popularity and many citizens are resigned to the perception that he is, in fact, more powerful than the de fact press.
Khama is cold, calculating and very shrewd. He wants things done his way. Not only is he brooding, he does not forget and takes serious offence to both disloyalty and betrayal.
Given his strong, overbearing but enigmatic character, there are already fears that Botswana under Khama could be poised for “imperial presidency” where the leader overshadows all the institutions of both law and governance.
But whatever the case may be, Ian Khama is going to leave an indelible mark on Botswana makeup in the next ten years or so.
Isaac Kgosi: A close Khama sidekick and right hand man from their days in the military, Kgosi is no doubt one of the Vice President’s closest confidants.
As the Private Secretary to Ian Khama, Kgosi has twenty-four hour access to the Vice President and indications are that he is going to be one of the country’s most powerful figures in the Khama administration.
Even before Khama’s expected ascendancy to high office, signs are already there that Kgosi is a significant player in Botswana’s political power circles.
A decision by government to take him for a study leave in Britain is seen as both a tactical and strategic maneuver by Khama to prepare and train his prot├®g├® for high office in government.
Thapelo Olopeng ÔÇô Another of Khama men from the military days. Olopeng has the ear, confidence and trust of Khama.
More independent and politically shrewd than Kgosi, Olopeng is likely to be Khama’s main source of counsel on major government decisions and policy direction.
Those close to Khama say it is Olopeng who has persistently advised Khama to strive to find ways of cooling down factions inside the BDP.
Olopeng is said to have bluntly told Khama that he (Khama) has to be careful to stay above BDP internal factions so that he could earn respect and confidence of the disillusioned belligerents led by party strongmen PHK Kedikilwe and Daniel Kwelagobe, without whom it will be very difficult to run both the country and the party.
Dumelang Saleshando ÔÇô undoubtedly one of the country’s most brilliant minds, the young Saleshando is destined to play a huge role in Botswana’s political economy going forward.
Not only has he the depth and intellectual poise, he also has, in a very short period of time as a Member of Parliament, established himself as one of the most believable, hardworking and serious politicians.
It’s no exaggeration to say, as a politician, Saleshando has grown at a much faster pace than his BCP of which he is a public face and solitary representative in parliament. He has mass appeal across the political divide, including from within the ruling party, who grudgingly acknowledge his personal attributes and talent.
He is certainly a rising figure ÔÇô both within his party and the nation at large.
Botsalo Ntuane ÔÇô Another young rising political star, Ntuane is without doubt a leading light, gifted intellectual and a strategist par excellence within the BDP, especially inside the Kedikilwe / Kwelagobe faction.
He is the political godson of Kwelagobe (party Secretary General) and a key figure in the ongoing efforts to broker reconciliation between the two feuding factions inside the ruling party.
Not only is he a leading tactician and outstanding political strategist, Ntuane also has amazing intellectual savvy and uncompromising independence of mind. When none of his superiors inside the party and parliament could come up with appropriate words to say it, Ntuane bluntly put it to President Festus Mogae to work hard to establish himself an enduring legacy with which he could be remembered.
As if that was not blunt enough, he went on to call on Vice President Khama to acquaint himself with the ethos of constitutional democracy.
He advised Khama to regularly report to parliament like all ministers do.
Depending on how he plays his cards, and on whether or not Ian Khama will be amenable to bring together the factional belligerents under a government of unity, Ntuane’s deep analytical discourse makes him cabinet material.
Whatever the outcome of such moves, Ntuane is a man to watch in the coming years of Botswana’s political landscape.
Thomas Kagiso Mmusi: Through his Group of companies ÔÇô Pula Holdings, T. K Mmusi runs one of the country’s largest, home grown and most diversified business portfolios, with interests ranging from the media, property, distribution, telecommunications, advertising, transport, education and energy. Pula Holdings has recently been on an aggressive expansion and growth spree, opening up branches across the continent.
Mmusi is among the country’s most ambitious crop of young entrepreneurs who has done away with the country’s tradition of aversion towards risk.
T. K., as he is popularly known among business associates and friends, also has a stake in Mascom, a leading and high yielding mobile phone company in Botswana.
Rizwan Desai ÔÇô The Chairman of the Botswana Stock Exchange, Desai is one of the fast upcoming entrepreneurs in Botswana.
He is a Senior Partner at Collins Newman and Company ÔÇô arguably Botswana’s largest law firm. Desai comes from a prominent business family.
His father was owner of Capitol Cinema ÔÇô for a long time the only cinema outlet in Gaborone.
With interests in Mascom Wireless, Desai also sits on the Board of Directors of Barclays Botswana, the country’s leading financial powerhouse ÔÇô by both profits and market capitalisation. Though of Indian extraction, he is closely grounded in Botswana with indigenous Batswana friends and business associates.
Parks Tafa ÔÇô Together with Desai and another partner Bookbinder, Tafa controls 80 % of Collins, Newman and Company. Well connected in both the political and corporate circles, Tafa also sits on a number of boards including the Stanbic Botswana Board of Directors and PEEPA (Privatisation Agency).
He is regarded as one of the country’s best legal minds.
He has participated in a number of the country’s leading business transactions.
Although he remains the lawyer and legal advisor of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party, Tafa’s relationship with Ian Khama is still to evolve, for now it is a bit shaky, a result of Khama’s slow, cautious and hesitant approach to making new friends and Tafa’s fierce and unyielding independent mind. The two are on opposing camps in the ongoing PEEPA saga. It will be interesting to see how the two will relate once dust settles at PEEPA.
Sipho Ziga ÔÇô a partner at Armstrong Attorneys, Ziga is one of the country’s leading corporate lawyers. Given his youthful age, Ziga promises to become one of Botswana’s most powerful and influential lawyers in the country.
He has already successfully handled a number of high profile cases and transactions.
Together with Tafa, Ziga is highly regarded among the country’s leading corporate clients.
Gomolemo Motswaledi ÔÇô With the old guard inside the ruling Botswana Democratic Party bowing out, Motswaledi is tipped to occupy one of the key positions in the party, possibly as one of the executive committee members.
His steadfast resolve to remain independent even at the risk of annoying Khama has endeared him to many within the BDP, including among the Khama loyalists who feel it’s high time Khama is engaged if not for the sake of democracy then at least to prepare him of the rough and tumble of the Office of the Presidency.
Motswaledi is a strong Kedikilwe supporter who stood side by side with PHK when it was unfashionable and highly risky to do that.
That, say the BDP watchers, has earned him the respect of Khama, who cherishes and attaches unusually high premium on loyalty and friendship.
Leina Gabaraane: Gabaraane is the Chief Executive of SIMS (Stanbic Investment Management Services) ÔÇô the asset and wealth management of Stanbic ÔÇô a division of the large South African Standard Bank. He is a fast rising star in the financial services sector and his services are sought after by a number of wealth creation and management agencies.
His name crops up time and again as a level headed and composed manager with the potential to become a leading asset manager in the years to come.
Reginah Vaka ÔÇô She is one of the few women in the corporate sector to wield serious power.
She heads Botswana Life, and has billions of Pula under her eye. Her male counterparts hold her in high regard for her forthrightness and good negotiating skills.
Jacob Sesinyi ÔÇô Arguably the best practitioner in the field of public relations, Sesinyi draws his influence from the fact that he is the public face and mouthpiece of the country’s most powerful and most important company ÔÇô Debswana.
He has, over the years, established himself as a shrewd master of spin.
He shone during the “Diamond for Development” campaign when Botswana’s diamonds were on the verge of being lumped together with those from other war torn African regions where the proceeds from mineral products bankroll conflicts.
Martinus Seboni: A leading investment analyst and asset manager, Seboni first made his mark at Stockbrokers Botswana where he rose within the ranks to become the Chief Executive Officer. A high flier, he was to move to BIFM as Chief Investment Officer, before he was recruited by another leading asset management company, Investec Botswana as Chief Executive Officer. He is well respected among the financial service sector. He is likely to play a dominant and increasing role in the many years to come.
Thapelo Lippe ÔÇô As the first Motswana Chief Executive Officer of Orange Botswana, Lippe is among the leading business people in the county. The importance of Orange Botswana in the business and economic landscape of the country does not need emphasis.
Under his leadership, Orange Botswana has undergone tremendous growth giving Mascom the real run for its money. Lippe carries an impressive head on his shoulders and brings with him invaluable experience from abroad.
Victor Senye: Senye is the CEO of BIFM, Botswana’s oldest and largest asset management company.
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The importance of BIFM sprawls every sector of Botswana’s economy. Not only has BIFM grown to dominate the economy of Botswana, the company has sprung to search for new investment opportunities across the continent.
It is a given that whoever is the BIFM CEO shall, at least in the foreseeable future, have a significant role and contribution to make and play in Botswana’s political economy.
Sito Nchindo ÔÇô The young Nchindo is the Managing Director of African Alliance Botswana. With close to P5 billion worth of assets under his management, Nchindo is no doubt one of the leading lights in business, especially in the sector of pensions and asset management.
His peers respect him for his strong work ethic, forthrightness and integrity.
Docas Makgatho-Malesu ÔÇô The real influence of Makgatho Malesu will depend on whether or not government gives in to demands for the establishment of a Ministry of Sports.
Depending on the availability of resources, government is likely to establish the ministry during the presidency of Khama ÔÇô himself an ardent sports and fitness fanatic.
Tally Thekiso: The Co ÔÇô owner and Managing Director of Caratex Botswana, Thekiso is one of the few Batswana who have, from the very early days, taken advantages of opportunities offered by the American AGOA (Africa Growth and Opportunity Act.)
His textile company, exports to the huge and lucrative United States market under preferential treatment extended a few select Sub-Saharan countries.
This has earned Thekiso immense personal wealth and economic influence, especially over the national trade, export and investment policy and strategy.
Sipho Showa: Currently the Head of Public Affairs and Board Secretary of Botswana Building Society, Showa is no doubt one of the country’s rising stars in the fast growing area of public relations.
He first cut his teeth at Debswana under the tutelage of Jacob Sesinyi, the past master of the trade.
Showa’s integrity and intellectual enquiry and academic depth place him way above his peers. He joined BBS just as the Society executive management was preparing itself for a dirty and very public spat with the Registrar of Societies and Permanent Secretary (Finance), Serwalo Tumelo.
Although one of the heavyweight investors in BBS, BIFM joined the fray on the side of government and the Registrar, Showa and his boss – the BBS Chief Executive, Pius Molefhe, shrewdly and successfully cultivated media sympathy, forcing public opinion to sway their side.
Although the matter was ultimately resolved through mediation, common opinion is that BBS (through Showa and Molefhe) emerged victorious, and were given a thumps up for their courage to stand up to one of the civil service’s most powerful personalities.
Percy Raditladi: Probably the youngest executive director to sit on the Board of KBL Group of companies, Raditladi is one of the country’s most respected young executives.
As the director responsible for Corporate and Public Affairs, Raditladi is not only the public face of KBL and the Holding Company Sechaba, he is the one who spends tens of thousands of hours negotiating with government officials and other stakeholders (especially in the face of a buoyed anti alcohol lobby).
The KBL Group is one of the biggest companies in the country with an annual turnover of close to P800 million.
The Botswana Stock Exchange listed Sechaba has a market capitalisation of over a billion Pula and has been the country’s flagship for many years. Not only is Raditladi involved in the corporate compliance of the Botswana based group, he also sits on the Social Investment Committee of SAB Miller ÔÇô the world’s largest brewer, which holds a major stake in KBL over and above the management contract, and all this in addition to his significant and fast growing personal investments.
Thapelo Matsheka: Perched on the CEDA high chair, Matsheka is poised to grow in stature as the country’s citizen empowerment movement gains critical mass. This is the man who is expected to create citizen millionaires, deliver a strong indigenous middle class for Botswana and reverse Botswana’s feel bad mood that the country’s economy is in the hands of foreigners. A university lecturer turned captain of industry, Matsheka has taken to the rough and tumble of corporate politics like a fish to water. His experience should harden Botswana on the threshold of another testosterone era
SPENCER MOGAPI looks through the crystal ball for a glimpse at the faces that will guide Botswana’s fortunes in the next 40 years. All he sees is testosterone in the corridors of power.
him and stand in good stead to face future challenges. He is strategically placed to make it into Botswana’s next “old boys club.”
Tebogo Matome: He has left behind an impressive legacy at Botswana Stock Exchange. After turning Botswana’s Mickey Mouse operation that answered for a stock market into a respectable outfit, Matome seemed the perfect choice to set up LEA. A successful LEA would be another kudo on his CV and set him up for bigger things. A close friend of Matsheka and Senye ÔÇô the trio stand on very strong ground as part of Botswana’s “old boys club.”
