Bathusi determined to win Boteti East constituency
Standing at a height of 1.63 m, Daisy Bernitta Bathusi, was only one-year-old when she arrived in Boteti. Her journey led her to later secure her first and only job in the diamond mining town of Orapa.
Aspiring to represent the Boteti East constituency as a legislator was not a coincidence for her; it was a deliberate path she chose. Some argue that Bathusi's benevolent inclinations may have been influenced by her father, a geologist and one of the founders of the Botswana Mine Workers Union (BOMU), who later became the chairman of the Orapa branch.
Others contend that she was inherently a politician, evident in her early activism when she stood up for the rights of her schoolmates facing abuse from both parents and teaching staff.
Born in Serowe as the third child in a family of six, Bathusi and her family joined her parents in Orapa just after the mine opened. Initially residing in Letlhakane village during the mine house construction, the family moved to the closed area of Orapa in 1971.
While her interest in politics was initially limited, Bathusi found herself involved in union discussions at home, as the Botswana Mine Workers Union (BMWU) held meetings in their residence due to the lack of offices.
Reflecting on her early years, Bathusi asserts, 'I was born a politician.' Her activism began during secondary school when, in her own words, she encountered a distressed girl during a class-cleaning session.
The girl in Form Three, feared being forced into marriage during the school holidays. Bathusi reassured her and devised a plan to provide refuge, seeking her parents' permission to bring the friend home during the holidays. This decision allowed the girl to continue her education until completing Cambridge, though she eventually succumbed to the forced marriage.
Bathusi cites another instance during her time at St Joseph's College when she refused to participate in a beauty pageant, choosing punishment instead. Her rationale was straightforward: beauty pageants, in her view, diminished the value of girls and women.
Bathusi, an active politician and businesswoman, stands out as one of the few women committed to contesting the 2024 primary elections under the Botswana Congress Party (BCP). Unfazed by the predominantly male landscape of politics, she is not one to easily yield or be intimidated.
While other parties are yet to finalise their candidates, Bathusi is poised to be the female contender in the Boteti East constituency. Although her attempt to secure the Vice Presidency of the BCP ended in defeat to the incumbent Taolo Lucas, Bathusi persisted.
In the 2014 Member of Parliament race in the Boteti East constituency against Setlhomo Lelatisitswe, she garnered 1100 votes, falling short of the winner's 3800. In the 2019 general election, she chose not to contest due to her party's sacrifice under the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) agreement, which allocated the constituency to the Botswana Peoples Party (BPP). Undeterred, Bathusi remained an active participant.
Her resilience is underscored by her esteemed position as the BCP Regional Chairperson for the Boteti region from 2012 to 2015. Additionally, she served as the President of the BCP Women's League, transforming it into a formidable advocate for women's rights and gender equality within and beyond the party.
Currently, she holds the role of Deputy Secretary General of the Women's Academy for Africa (WAFA) and has chaired the Botswana National Hospitality Standards Setting Task Team since 2006. Within the BCP central committee, she serves as the secretary of labour.
Before venturing into politics and directing her family business, Shaddai, Bathusi dedicated 23 years to Debswana, climbing the ranks to become the Business Services Manager. An ardent activist for equality and social justice, she played a visible role in campaigns against sexual violence and gender-based violence.
She initiated efforts for improved sewage systems and petitioned against declining education quality in Botswana. A founding member of the Africa End Sexual Harassment Initiative (AESHI), Bathusi actively contributed to the #SilenceIsViolence campaign during the Nigerian school girls' abduction.
Armed with a Post-Graduate Diploma in Strategic Diplomacy from the University of Johannesburg, a Diploma in Hotel Management and Institutional Operations from Derby College of Further Education (UK), and Associate Membership of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ACISA) with WITS University (RSA), Bathusi is well-versed in diverse fields.
Her international engagements span participation and presentations at conferences addressing democracy, governance, the impact of money in politics on women's participation, and women's suffrage from a Commonwealth perspective.
A distinguished Gender Activist, Bathusi draws from extensive experience combating sexual harassment personally and as a leader. Currently mentoring four aspiring young women in political leadership, she recognises the role of harassment as a significant barrier to women's political involvement, especially in patriarchal environments like Botswana.
Lately her journey into politics was influenced by friends and activists, particularly the late Keboitse Machana, and she overcame the challenge of convincing her husband to embrace her political aspirations. Upon quitting her job to join the family business, she returned to Letlhakane village, where the prevalent poverty motivated her to advocate for community improvement.