The President-elect of Botswana, Duma Boko has been sworn in on Friday in a historic transfer of power.
Saturday Telegraph recalls that the election saw a historic defeat of the party that had governed the diamond-rich country for nearly 60 years.
Boko, a human rights lawyer was sworn in at a closed session at the office of the chief justice three days after the election which booted the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) out of office.
Boko later delivered an acceptance speech at press briefing that was broadcast live on state television.
He touched on some of his campaign pledges, such as more than doubling the minimum wage to 4,000 pula ($300) and introducing universal health insurance.
The president said he wanted to secure investor confidence as well as ties with mining companies active in Botswana while exploring ways to diversify the diamond-dependent economy, a measure seen as critical to stabilizing the country’s finances.
“A public inauguration ceremony will be held in due course,
“The presidency is a responsibility one approaches and accepts with humility, with some trepidation and feeling. I dare not fail. I dare not disappoint,” he noted.
