The Office of the President has confirmed that Minister for State President, Moeti Mohwasa, briefly assumed the role of Acting President during the holiday season. Minister Mohwasa was appointed Acting President from December 23 to December 24, 2024, when both President Duma Boko and Vice President Ndaba Nkosinathi Gaolathe were out of the country.
The Presidency revealed that President Boko was on a one-day visit to South Africa for medical reasons during this time, while Vice President Gaolathe was in East London, South Africa, on a semi-official visit.
According to Press Secretary Emang Bokhutlo-Mutapati, the appointment of Minister Mohwasa as Acting President was carried out in full accordance with the Constitution of Botswana, which allows the President to authorize any Cabinet Minister or the Vice President to exercise the functions of the Office of the President. The authorization is issued in writing and published in the Government Gazette.
However, due to public holidays, the publication of Minister Mohwasa’s appointment notice was delayed. The notice will now appear in the Government Gazette on January 10, 2025.
Further clarification was provided on the movements of President Boko and Vice President Gaolathe. President Boko travelled to Cape Town, South Africa, for a private visit from December 27, 2024, to January 6, 2025, before heading to Accra, Ghana, to attend the inauguration of Ghanaian President-elect John Dramani Mahama on January 7, 2025.
Vice President Gaolathe was in East London from December 22 to December 26, 2024, before traveling to Durban. During this time, he was also appointed Acting President from December 27, 2024, to January 7, 2025, while President Boko was abroad.
