Political party BDP Resigned July 31, 2012 | Party Botswana Democratic Party Name Mompati Merafhe | |
 | ||
Preceded by Lt. Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama Born 6 June 1936
Serowe, Bechuanaland Protectorate, now Botswana ( 1936-06-06 ) Role Former Vice-President of Botswana Died January 7, 2015, Gaborone, Botswana Previous office Vice-President of Botswana (2008–2012) | ||
Succeeded by Ponatshego Kedikilwe | ||
Former vice president mompati merafhe of botswana dies at 79
Mompati Sebogodi Merafhe (6 June 1936 – 7 January 2015) was a Botswana politician who was Vice-President of Botswana from 2008 to 2012. He was a retired Lieutenant-General and served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1994 to 2008.
Contents
- Former vice president mompati merafhe of botswana dies at 79
- Short documentary of the late former vp lt general mompati merafhe
- Biography
- References
Short documentary of the late former vp lt general mompati merafhe
Biography
Merafhe was born in Serowe in 1936. After a career in the army, he retired from it and entered politics in 1989. He was first elected to the Central Committee of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) in 1991 and has remained on the body since then. Merafhe has been the Member of Parliament for Mahalapye west since the 1994 election. He was elected for a third time in the October 2004 general election, receiving 5,429 votes against 1,664 for Abigail Mogalakwe of the Botswana National Front (BNF) and 975 for Thomas Ookeditse of the Botswana Congress Party (BCP). Besides serving as Foreign Minister, he also served a period as Minister of Presidential Affairs and Public Administration.
When Ian Khama took office as President on 1 April 2008, he appointed Merafhe as Vice-President. Merafhe was approved as Vice-President by Parliament on the same day, receiving 48 out of 56 votes, with no votes against, two spoiled votes, and six abstentions; he was immediately sworn in. The same day, Khama explained to the BDP caucus that he did not intend for Merafhe to ultimately succeed him as President; he envisioned eventually replacing Merafhe with another Vice-President who would in turn succeed Khama in 2018. Merafhe was not given a ministerial portfolio as Vice-President, although it was suggested that he might be tasked with project implementation across ministries.
Merafhe was married and had six children.
Following the second round of the Zimbabwean presidential election in June 2008, Merafhe said that the election was flawed and that Zimbabwe should be barred from participation in regional talks. On 22 July 2009, he was appointed to the BDP Central Committee by President Khama; he was one of five individuals appointed to that body by Khama.
Merafhe retired on 31 July 2012, and Ponatshego Kedikilwe was sworn in to succeed him as Vice-President on 1 August. He died on the morning of 7 January 2015 at the age of 78 after years of health complications.