MY FIRST INTIMATE CONTACT WITH QUETT MASIRE

EXTRACT FROM MY NOT YET PUBLISHED MANUSCRIPT “CORRIDORS OF POWER”

My first intimate contact with Sir Ketumile Masire, the man who was to become President of Botswana for 19 years, was in 1980 when as Vice President he abruptly cut his trip to the People’s Republic of China due to the terminal illness of his predecessor Sir Seretse Khama. I was a senior journalist then with the Government Department of Information and Broadcasting working for Radio Botswana and the Daily News. Sir Seretse Khama had just returned from London where he had gone for treatment but was returned by his doctors so that he "could die peacefully among his people." The charismatic and immensely popular founder President of the former British colony was dying of cancer.

I first interviewed Vice President Masire when he was known then by his unique but popular first name of Quett, before he changed his title to Sir Ketumile Masire later when he was bestowed the British Knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II. Quett, as he was popularly known then, was regarded nationally as the moneyman, being the Minister of Finance and Development Planning.  The man's trademark was his high-pitched laughter that echoed around the corridors of every building he occupied and announced him at every occasion. The idiosyncrasy was to become part of his personality and eventually a cherished sound among his supporters and compatriots.

The intention of the interview was to get answers to the burning questions in the minds of every concerned citizen of Botswana-, which was virtually everyone. Now that the nation of this fledgling democracy, was about to lose the only president that they had known, what was going to happen to the leadership of the country? Would Vice President Masire take over automatically? It was common knowledge then that the rather reticent Quett Masire had not shown any ambitions to ascend to the presidency of the country. Masire was believed to be reluctant to become captain of this peaceful but politically and economically fragile southern African state. We posed the questions to Quett Masire. As was always the case, we quickly realized that what Quett Masire lacked in physical stature, he made up for in his remarkable gift of repartee. Admittedly, at first contact before and during his presidency, and even afterwards, one did not have to be Quett Masire’s puppet to discern his obvious superior intellect. His mastery of both the English language and the national language, Setswana, made him a versatile orator and slippery maestro of intellectual gymnastics.

Quett Masire ensured that the bulk of the interview concentrated on his trip to China. The Chinese culture and their work ethic, in particular, had visibly impressed him. I was with colleagues Moreri Gabakgore and Monty Letshwiti when he told us:-

"If I had my way, I would take the entire nation of Botswana to China for them to see how hard working the Chinese are. They have ploughed ever where, even on mountain tops……."

[The manuscript awaits publication]