By Oscar Habeenzu | for Moakanyi Magazine
Africa needs game changer leaders, that just rise and establish themselves in the international market space without fear, favour or fragility in conduct; leaders that, like Caesar, just say, “veni, vidi, vici” – I came, I saw, I conquered. Botswana has in the name of Bogolo Kenewendo. One of the youngest cabinet ministers in Africa, and the world, Bogolo Joy Kenewendo, at 32, is the Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry for Botswana.
“I am a product of the Botswana diamond, born in a government hospital, went to a government school, was funded to go to university by the government. There are no blood diamonds in Botswana, instead there are livelihood diamonds in Botswana, and I think all of us are a product of that in Botswana”, was her response to a question about diamond beneficiation in Botswana, on Bloomberg News.
She was interviewed on the backdrop of her participation on the international scene in forums like the Pan African Parliament and the UN Digital Cooperation panel of experts. She has been one of the youngest members the PAP since its establishment in 2004, and during her time with the continental Parliament, she has helped advance the mandate of the institution through her valuable contribution in the Committee on Trade, Customs and Immigration Matters where she has been a member.
She was a partner at Econsult Botswana, leading some consultancy work in Botswana and other Southern African countries, she later joined the Ministry of Trade in Ghana as a Trade Economist. In her capacity as minister, Kenewendo was appointed by United Nations Secretary General António Guterres in July 2018 to the High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation, co-chaired by Melinda Gates and Jack Ma. Trained in trade and economic diplomacy, she has experience in sub Saharan Africa economies, especially at a time when Africa is balancing the issues like Agenda 2063 and International Trade Wars.
She is a game changer leader for local Botswana businesses, private or public, and to start-up entrepreneurs, in that her international exposure in relevant matters for the country, will have a positive impact on Botswana and the region. Kenewendo has co-authored and contributed to many papers, was a frequent commentator on the Economics of Botswana and Southern Africa, and a host of a radio show called “The Multiplier Effect” and wrote a newspaper column named “Game Theory”.
As a Member of Parliament, Kenewendo was the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence, Justice, Security and Government Assurance, and a member of the Parliamentary Committees on Finance and Estimates; Finance, Trade and Economic Development; and Public Accounts. She has also represented Botswana at the Inter Parliamentary Union (including the Parliamentary Committee on the WTO) and the Pan African Parliament.
In Parliament, Honourable Kenewendo successfully tabled a motion on “Reducing the cost and time associated with starting a business in Botswana”, which was recently passed into law under her stewardship as a Minister, and which will introduce an online business registration system. She further tabled motions on the protection of children’s rights including “The Alignment of the Penal Code to the Children’s Act” and “The creation of a sex offender’s registry”.
On the continental front, her Ghana exposure included development relations with the west African economic block – ECOWAS. When she was at the ministry of industry in Ghana, she helped in facilitating Ghana’s membership of ECOWAS, in particular the ECOWAS Economic, that included the Trade Liberalization Scheme, Customs Union and Common External Tariff, Industrial development, private sector development and Ghana export competitiveness.
Her areas of expertise include Trade and Investment Policy, Macroeconomic policy, public debt management and regulatory & institutional frameworks for policy formulation. She holds an MSc in International Economics from the University of Sussex (UK) through the prestigious Chevening Scholarship. Hon Kenewendo’s voice is associated with inclusivity; inclusivity in development and ensuring services reach people in a timely manner as their share of the national cake. She strongly aligns herself with the SDG message of “Leave no one behind.”
Leave no one behind is known as a military approach to leadership in that you must never leave your comrade behind, and this can apply even in development, in that the least developed person amongst you must be significantly developed. It is an “ubuntu” approach to life, wherein in Africa it is said a person is a person because of the people around, hence, all development must benefit all who are around. A proud product of Botswana’s inclusivity in sustainable development, the minister of trade, investment and industry is forging her agenda to make Botswana a pillar of strength to Africa whilst bringing profit home and growing the economy.
Source: digitalcooperation.org
