Former Botswana President Festus Mogae dies aged 86
Festus Mogae died early Friday at the age of 86. He was receiving medical treatment at a hospital in Gaborone before his passing.
Botswana has entered a period of national mourning. Festus Mogae served as president from 1998 to 2008. President Duma Boko said, "Today Botswana mourns a distinguished statesman and patriot whose life was devoted to the service of his country." Boko further emphasised that Mogae "stood firmly for discipline, good governance, economic prudence and the advancement of our nation." Born on August 21, 1939, in Serowe, Mogae did not attend school until the age of 11. He studied economics at Oxford and Sussex Universities. He returned to Botswana in 1968 to work in the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning. During the early 2000s, Botswana faced one of the highest HIV infection rates in the world. Botswana became the first African nation to provide free antiretroviral drugs to all infected citizens. In 2008, Mogae received the Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership, which included a $5 million award and a lifelong annual payment of $200,000. In 2012, he delivered a lecture in Accra on "Credible Elections and Governance in Africa."
Quick Summary
Botswana is in national mourning following the death of former President Festus Mogae. He is remembered as a pivotal figure who solidified Botswana's reputation for stability and transparency - his legacy will surely be felt.
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