The late Botswana Peoples Party (BPP) founder, Mr Philip Matante has been bestowed the Naledi ya Botswana (NYB) award.
Mr Matante was awarded posthumously by President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi at the Botswana Honours Awards ceremony held in Gaborone on September 29.
During his time, Mr Matante blossomed as a freedom square speaker who supported the boycott of racist establishments and under his leadership BPP captured three seats to become the sole opposition party in the National Assembly.
He was the first Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly of Botswana and following independence, Mr Matante gained further notoriety for his robust participation in Parliamentary debate.
Mr Matante was the first MP to call for the formation of a defence force and advocated for the improvement of the working conditions and change of uniform for the Police; from shorts to trousers.
He was one of the pioneers who advocated for Botswana to establish its own currency, Pula le thebe.
In November 2019, President Dr Masisi renamed the Francistown Airport to PG Matante International Airport in honour of Mr Matante,
President Dr Masisi also bestowed 11 recipients the Presidential Order of Honour (P.H among them Dr Kereng Masupu, a highly accomplished international infectious diseases expert.
He was the founding Executive Director of Champions for an HIV-Free Generation which comprised former Presidents and influential persons to mobilize high-level leadership against HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Dr Masupu served as Coordinator for COVID-19 Botswana Presidential Task Force from 2020 to 2021.
On the category of Presidential Order of Meritorious Service (PMS), Dr Masisi awarded seven recipients and amongst them was Letsile Tebogo, who is the current World U-20 Record Holder in the mens 100m set at the Cali22 World Athletics U20 Championships,.
Born June 7, 2004 Tebogo is a Silver Medalist from the World Athletics Championship Budapest23 in the mens 100m.
Dr Masisi also bestowed 17 recipients the Presidential Certificate of Honour (P.C.H).
Among the recipients was Ms Tebogo Obonetse of Foley.
Ms Obonetse lives a life of volunteerism, committed to ensuring that others around her are taken care of.
She has offered her car as an ambulance for Foley residents and also provided transport for TB patients who regularly travel to Tonota (45km) to access medical services.
Furthermore, she also dedicated her single room as storage for TB tablets in Foley.
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister for State President, Mr Kabo Morwaeng said the last awards were held in 2018, while the 2019 instalment of the Awards were deferred.
Mr Morwaeng said this was on account of the COVID-19 pandemic, citing that subsequent awards had been in abeyance until September 29.
He said the Botswana Honours Awards were a befitting act of kindness (BOTHO) and were conferred upon recipients on the eve of the Botswana Independence Day. END
Source: BOPA
Author: Marvin Motlhabane
