Govt’s Chief Strategist

The ascendance of Ndaba Gaolathe into the Vice Presidency of the country is a culmination of years of political resilience that started as a rebellious act against the then President Ian Khama’s administration. Indicatively, he did not start of as a politician. Having had his father Baledzi Gaolathe as the country’s minister of finance under the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) it was obvious that his initial political inclination was with the family party. 

However, in subsequent years his close relationship with the late Gomolemo Motswaledi would draw him fully into the BDP politics. Thats is why when in 2010 Motswaledi and others chose to decamp from the BDP he followed them. Ultimately, he was part of those that formed the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) and became Motswaledi’s Vice President. 

Motswaledi, Duma Boko and the Botswana People’s Party Motlatsi Molapisi came together and formed the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) in 2012 and set in motion the process that led to the ascendance to state power this year after losing the 2014 and 2019 General Elections. 

When Motswaledi suddenly died in a road accident July 2014, the weight of running the BMD and working under the UDC with Boko and Molapisi fell to the young Gaolathe. He would campaign enough to land his first Parliamentary seat in the 2014 General Elections. 

Close observers hailed his contribution and calm and calculating demeanour for the UDC’s good performance. The well-educated economist provided stability and drew high level of trust and reliability that attracted voters to him. His party the BMD had a higher proportion of MPs who won under the UDC ticket. 

in subsequent years the BMD faced internal strife that ultimately resulted with a split. Gaolathe and his strong loyalists chose to form a new party – the Alliance for Progressives (AP). The fallout within the

BMD had caused the UDC leader Duma Boko to take a hard line to expel the party. 

After forming AP, Gaolathe – who called himself The Herd-boy – could not seek re-admission into the UDC, particularly because they had identified elements that didn’t welcome their presence in the Umbrella. 

Reluctantly – he turned his back on the Umbrella he had founded and worked for and decided to go at the 2019 elections alone. It turned out as a bad experience because despite having fielded over 40 candidates countrywide, he turned with only one seat won by his Vice Wynter Mmolotsi in Francistown South. 

Fast forward to 2023 – having felt the negative impact of running alone he sought partnership. First, he tried with the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) and soon realized that they offered less of what he desired. He retraced his steps to the UDC. 

His return to the UDC was almost what the doctor ordered for Boko. But it was not always easy and at times AP wanted out – to the extend that Gaolathe launched himself to start his parliamentary race when President Boko did not show up. 

Under the new UDC government, AP delivered five parliamentary seats, held by Ndaba (Gaborone Bonnington South), Dr Phenyo Butale (Gaborone Central), Pushie

Manyeneng (Mmopane-Metsimotlhabe), Shima Monageng (Molepolole South), Mmolotsi (Francistown South). 

Butale, Ndaba and Mmolotsi are returning MPs while Manyeneng and Monageng are making a debut in the National Assembly. 

Tapping into economics academic qualification, Gaolathe is considered to a key strategist for the UDC with regards to policy direction related to economy. 

Political analyst, Kitso Morekisi said Gaolathe is a strategist and with him Boko is has the Vice President of his dreams. 

“Ndaba is a modern quality politician and he knows what to do. He would be an asset and quality to any government. That is the reason why he has been roped in by some countries in Africa to advise in their

economic matters. There is no doubt that our economy is in the right hands with Ndaba being the VP,” he said. 

Morekisi also said it would be pivotal for Gaolathe to takeover Ministry of Finance as he is a perfect fit for the ministry, adding that in the past vice presidents doubled as Ministers of Finance such Festus Mogae during Sir Ketumile Masire presidency. 

A graduate of the Wharton School – a private Ivy League institution in Philadelphia – where he completed his Master of Business Administration – MBA Finance, General in 1999, Gaolathe is well grounded in business and economic matters having also had his under graduate Bachelor of Science in Mathematics at George Washington University. 

His combination with Boko – another product of an Ivy League school – having done his Masters in law at Harvard University, makes them some of the brightest lights to have occupied the top two offices. 

Some consider Gaolathe as “a high impact world class leader, recognised for his creatively analytic and diplomatic attributes. He possesses the leadership skills and capacity to lead any corporation, government department or political entity. He has operated internationally and succeeded in creating long term coalitions with a diverse range of organisational formations across many countries.” 

He has been the Chief Executive Officer for Potje that specialises in Strategy, Data Analytics, Financial structuring, and Technology