His Honour Ndaba Gaolathe | |
---|---|
10th Vice-President of Botswana | |
Assumed office 7 November 2024 | |
President | Duma Boko |
Preceded by | Slumber Tsogwane |
Minister of Finance | |
Assumed office 11 November 2024 | |
President | Duma Boko |
Preceded by | Peggy Serame |
Vice President of the Umbrella for Democratic Change | |
Assumed office 20 May 2024 | |
Preceded by | Dumelang Saleshando |
Member of Parliament for Gaborone Bonnington South | |
Assumed office 7 November 2024 | |
Preceded by | Christian Greef |
Majority | 5,674 (41.07%) |
In office 28 October 2014 –28 August 2019 | |
Preceded by | constituency established |
Succeeded by | Christian Greef |
Personal details | |
Born | Gaborone,Botswana | 5 September 1971
Political party | Alliance for Progressives |
Other political affiliations | Umbrella for Democratic Change |
Education | George Washington University (BSc) The Wharton School (MBA) |
Alma mater | George Washington University |
Occupation | Economist |
Ndaba Nkosinathi Gaolathe (born 5 September 1971) [1] [2] is a Motswana economist and politician,currently serving as Vice-President of Botswana since 7 November 2024,under President Duma Boko. Gaolathe is the leader of the Alliance for Progressives,one of the parties within the ruling coalition Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC). He is also an elected member of the National Assembly of Botswana for the Gaborone Bonnington South constituency since the 2024 elections,a position he previously held from 2014 to 2019.
Gaolathe was born in September 1971 in Gaborone,the son of Baledzi Gaolathe,who served as Botswana's minister of finance from 1999 to 2009 under presidents Festus Mogae and Ian Khama. [3] He attended Lesedi Primary School and Gaborone Secondary School before studying economics at George Washington University in the United States,followed by an MBA in finance at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania,completing his studies in 1997. [4]
Originally a member of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP),which had governed since independence in 1966,Gaolathe left the party during Ian Khama's presidency,joining the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD),founded by Gomolemo Motswaledi. Gaolathe became a prominent leader within the BMD and played a key role in incorporating the party into the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) alliance,alongside the Botswana National Front (BNF) and the Botswana People's Party (BPP),two other opposition parties to the BDP. Following the sudden death of Motswaledi in a car accident in 2014,Gaolathe succeeded him as party leader and ran as the running mate to Duma Boko (leader of the BNF and UDC) in that year's general election,where the UDC placed second. Gaolathe was elected as a member of parliament for Gaborone Bonnington South. [2]
In July 2017,amid an internal conflict within the BMD,Gaolathe left the UDC and was expelled from the party,subsequently founding the Alliance for Progressives,a socially liberal party he has led since. Gaolathe ran as the AP's presidential candidate in the 2019 general election,placing third with 5.12% of the popular vote but losing his parliamentary seat. [5] [6]
Gaolathe initiated talks to form an alliance with the Botswana Congress Party (BCP),led by Dumelang Saleshando,ahead of the 2024 elections. After these talks failed,the AP decided to rejoin the UDC,and Gaolathe resumed his role as the coalition's second-in-command,essentially becoming Boko's de facto running mate in the elections. Following the UDC's decisive victory,which marked the BDP's first-ever defeat and Boko’s ascent to the presidency,Gaolathe,who regained his parliamentary seat,was seen as the most likely candidate for the vice president position in Boko's cabinet. On November 4,days after taking office,Boko confirmed Gaolathe as his vice president. [2]
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The President of the Republic of Botswana is the head of state and the head of government of Botswana,as well as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces,according to the Constitution of Botswana. Sir Seretse Khama was the prime minister from 1965 to 1966,however he later became president of Botswana,and as of 2024 there have been no prime ministers since.
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