Botswana putting ’best candidate’ forward for top SADC post

Botswana is contending with the Democratic Republic of Congo for its candidate to become the next SADC executive secretary in August.

RUSTENBURG, May 26 (ANA) – Botswana is bringing to the table the best candidate for the Southern African Development Community (SADC) secretariat post, according to President Mokgweetsi Masisi.

“We do not bring a fluke to the table, he is no pushover. The man has impeccable credentials. He is a top-rated technocrat by our standards in Botswana,” Masisi said on his campaign trail to Lesotho last week.

Botswana wants Elias Mpedi Magosi to become SADC executive secretary in August when the term of the incumbent, Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax, expires. Tax is from Tanzania.

Botswana is contesting for the position with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which named economist Faustin Luanga Mukela as its candidate for the top SADC post in January.

He said Magosi was highly qualified for the post, having worked for the Botswana government in various roles, including as head of the country’s public service. He also once served as a director of human resources and administration at the SADC secretariat, from March 2017 to April 2018.

According Magosi’s profile that Botswana put forward in January, he has a wealth of experience and requisite leadership competencies gained in executive management in both the public and private sectors, as well as within international organisations.

“I stand here as a proud president, to assert to you that the Magosi I know, is the one I am telling you about. If Magosi that I know does not do what we know, it will be what he learnt after he left us,” Masisi said, adding that Botswana had put forward Magosi’s name after 40 years of not forwarding any candidate.

The Botswana president has visited Malawi and South Africa in a bid to garner votes for Magosi. He also visited the DRC to discuss the SADC executive secretary position with his counterpart, President Felix Tshisekedi.

The DRC is also confident that its own candidate, Mukela, is no pushover.

Presenting Mukela’s credentials, the government said he has more than 25 years of national and international experience on issues related to the economic development of countries and their integration into the multilateral trade system.

– African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Yaron Blecher