Transformation of Women in Politics
Botswana women have played a pivotal role in the political space of the republic with low wins on their side.
Women made their greatest gains in the 1999 election achieving a total of 17 per cent women members of parliament in the National Assembly, but then fell back to 11 per cent in the 2004 election and 8 per cent in the 2009 election.
In the October 2009 parliamentary election in Botswana only two women candidates won seats earning women a mere 3.5 per cent of directly elected seats in the National Assembly (down from 7 per cent of directly elected seats in 2004).
However the country has had some of firsts in Parliament since 1966. We remember
๐๐ซ ๐๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ก๐ข๐๐ฉ๐ who is the first woman education officer in Botswana from 1948 to 1953, the first woman to be appointed a cabinet minister having become a specially MP in 1974. She was instrumental in developing Botswanaโs education system and is known to many as the woman who fought for free education in Botswana.
The appointment of ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ก๐ in October 2009 as the first woman to occupy the post of Speaker of the National Assembly signaled another step towards gender equality in Parliament.
In April 2018, 31 year old ๐๐จ๐ ๐จ๐ฅ๐จ ๐๐จ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ฐ๐๐ง๐๐จ was appointed the Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, making her the youngest minister in Botswanaโs history. The appointment became an instant internet sensation with many Africans applauding Botswana.
In 2021๐๐จ๐ง๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ฒ ๐. ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐ made history as the first woman to be appointed the Minister of Finance and Economic Development. She also made history as the first woman to present the Budget Speech in Botswana.
We acknowledge and commend all the women in politics and leadership positions who continue to bring diversity, visibility and change needed in Botswana.
