Masisi in Mozambique

Following an aborted trip to attend the US-Africa summit in Maputo, Mozambique in June 2019, President Mokgweetsi Masisi on Wednesday morning gathered enough courage and boarded the OK1  to attend the inauguration of Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, President-Elect of the Republic of Mozambique.

Nyusi, of the Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO) political party, was re-elected for a second term as the President of Mozambique following the 2019 Presidential, Legislative, and Provincial Elections which took place on 15th October. According to the results issued by Mozambique’s National Electoral Commission (CNE) and validated by the country’s Constitutional Council, the President-Elect garnered 73% of the total votes of the Presidential race. Additionally, FRELIMO won the majority of the Parliamentary seats, obtaining 70% of the votes.

Masisi is accompanied by the First Lady, Neo Jane Masisi; Dr Unity Dow, Minister of International Affairs and Cooperation; Dr Thapelo Matsheka, Minister of Finance and Economic Development; Kenny Kapinga, Member of Parliament for Okavango; and Senior Government Officials.

Last year the nation stood in shock after the media revealed that Masisi had made a U-turn mid-air  on Tuesday June 18th 2019 abandoning a trip to attend the 12th US-Africa Business Summit at the invitation of President Filipe Nyusi of Mozambique. The Business Summit, attended by other African Heads of State and Government from the region and the continent, ran from 18th to 21st June 2019 under the theme “Advancing a Resilient and Sustainable US-Africa Partnership”. Hosted by the Government of Mozambique in partnership with the United States of America, Corporate Council on Africa (CCA), the summit provided a platform for the private sector and government representatives from the United States of America and Africa to engage on key sectors such as agribusiness, energy, health, infrastructure and trade facilitation, ICT and finance. The Summit also provided the prospect for the private sector and government leaders to network; explore new business opportunities; and meet potential business partners with a view to shape effective US-Africa trade and investment policies.

Although details about why Masisi had to make a hasty return to Botswana have never been made public, official communication -which came weeks later- from the Director General of the Directorate of Intelligence and Securty Services (DIS), Peter Magosi was that his life was in danger.

On that eventful Tuesday, about 65 Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) councillors in the Central District had submitted resignation letters enmasse during a full council meeting in Serowe. They were heading to the then newly formed Botswana Patriotic front (BPF) – a Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) breakaway party that had joined the opposition ranks, sponsored by former President & Bangwato paramount chief Kgosikgolo Ian Khama. The latter had fallen out with Masisi over unfulfilled promises.