Revision 6584388 of "Mokgweetsi Masisi" on simplewiki

{{qd|a3|2=Copied from enwiki without simplification|editor=Javed khan|date=07:10, 24 June 2019 (UTC)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|honorific_prefix = [[His Excellency]]
|name         = Mokgweetsi Masisi
|image        = Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference London 2018 (45245990491) (cropped).jpg
|image_size   = 
|office       = 5th [[President of Botswana]]
|vicepresident = [[Slumber Tsogwane]]
|term_start   = 1 April 2018
|term_end     = 
|predecessor  = [[Ian Khama]]
|successor    = 
|office1      = Chairman of the [[Botswana Democratic Party]]
|term_start1  = 1 April 2017
|term_end1    = 4 April 2018
|predecessor1 = [[Ian Khama]]
|successor1   = [[Slumber Tsogwane]]
|office2      = 8th [[Vice President of Botswana]]
|president2   = [[Ian Khama]]
|term_start2  = 12 November 2014
|term_end2    = 1 April 2018
|predecessor2 = [[Ponatshego Kedikilwe]]
|successor2   = [[Slumber Tsogwane]]
|office3      = [[Member of Parliament (Botswana)|Member of Parliament]] for<br />[[Moshupa]] / [[Manyana, Botswana|Manyana]]
|president3   = [[Ian Khama]]
|term_start3  = 2009
|term_end3    = 1 April 2018
|predecessor3 = Maitlhoko Mooka
|successor3   = Karabo Gare
|birth_date   = {{birth date and age|df=y|1961|07|21}}
|birth_name   = Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi
|birth_place  = [[Moshupa]], [[Bechuanaland Protectorate|Bechuanaland]]
|nationality  = [[Botswana|Motswana]]
|death_date   = 
|death_place  = 
|party        = [[Botswana Democratic Party]]
|spouse       =
|children     =
|parents      = 
|residence    = State House          
|alma_mater   = [[University of Botswana]]<br>[[Florida State University]]
|profession = Teacher<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gov.bw/en/News/Masisi-is-the-Vice-President-of-the-Republic/|title=Republic of Botswana - Government portal|website=www.gov.bw|access-date=2017-10-10}}</ref>
}}

'''Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi''' (born 21 July 1961) is the 5th and current [[President of Botswana]]. He has also served as Minister of Education since 2014, and previously he was Minister of Presidential Affairs and Public Administration from 2011 to 2014. He was first elected to Parliament in 2009.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mg.co.za/article/2018-04-03-who-is-botswanas-new-president-mokgweetsi-masisi/|title=Who is Botswana’s new President Mokgweetsi Masisi?|first=INK Centre for Investigative Journalism, Botswana|last=Guardian|website=The M&G Online|accessdate=May 14, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dw.com/en/botswana-mokgweetsi-masisi-takes-over-presidency-amid-opposition-resurgence/a-43206610|title=Botswana: Mokgweetsi Masisi takes over presidency amid opposition resurgence &#124; DW &#124; 31.03.2018|first=Deutsche|last=Welle (www.dw.com)|website=DW.COM|accessdate=May 14, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.france24.com/en/20180401-botswana-inaugurates-new-president-masisi-smooth-handover|title=Botswana inaugurates new president Masisi in smooth handover|date=Apr 1, 2018|website=France 24|accessdate=May 14, 2019}}</ref>

==Life and career==
Mokgweetsi Masisi is the son of [[Edison Masisi]] (1923-2003), the long-time MP for [[Moshupa]] and many-time cabinet member. The younger Masisi grew up in Gaborone, attending Thornhill Primary School and Maru A Pula School. In school he competed in soccer and tennis, but ultimately found acting to be his calling. In 1984 he won acclaim for his portrayal of the lead role in a Gaborone production of ''[[Cry the Beloved Country]]'', and was praised by the visiting [[Alan Paton]] for his performance. During the 1980s he starred in numerous theatrical productions, and also had roles in South African [[B-Movies]].

During the 1980s Masisi became a high school social studies teacher for several years after graduating from the [[University of Botswana]] in 1984 in English and History. He then taught at Mmanaana Secondary School in 1984 in Moshupa village before moving on to the University of Botswana in 1987 as a curriculum development specialist. In 1989 he went to [[Florida State University]] to obtain a Master's degree in Education, following which he was employed by [[UNICEF]] in Botswana.

Masisi unsuccessfully sought the nomination of the ruling [[Botswana Democratic Party]] (BDP) to stand in [[Moshupa]] constituency in the [[Botswana general election, 2004|2004 general election]]{{citation needed|date=April 2018}} However, he obtained the BDP nomination for the same seat prior to the [[Botswana general election, 2009|2009 general election]] and won the seat. He was promptly appointed as Assistant Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration in October 2009. After a little more than a year as an assistant minister, he was appointed as Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration in January 2011. Masisi became Minister of Education and Skills Development in an acting capacity in April 2014; he was re-elected to his seat in Parliament in October 2014, and he was appointed as Minister of Education and Skills Development on 28 October 2014.

Masisi was appointed by President [[Ian Khama]] as Vice President of Botswana on 12 November 2014 while remaining in his post as Minister of Education. On April 1, 2018, he was sworn in as the 5th [[President of Botswana]], he is now the current president of the [[Republic of Botswana]].

President Khama appointed Masisi as the Chancellor of the [[University of Botswana]] on 5 July 2017. The appointment, which was in consonance with Section 7 of the University of Botswana Act of 2008, was for a period of five years. It followed the death of former President [[Quett Masire]], who served as the Chancellor until he died on 22 June 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ub.bw/newsdet/nid/4290/Vice-President-Masisi-appointed-UB-Chancellor/|title=Vice President Masisi appointed UB Chancellor|last=Online Editor|first=|date=6 July  2017|website=University of Botswana|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=8 July  2017}}</ref>

==References==
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{{Reflist}}

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{{succession box | before = [[Ponatshego Kedikilwe]] | title = [[Vice President of Botswana]]| years = 2014–2018 | after = [[Slumber Tsogwane]]}}
{{succession box | before = [[Ian Khama]] | title = [[President of Botswana]]| years = 2018–present | after = Incumbent}}
{{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Masisi, Mokgweetsi}}
[[Category:1961 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Presidents of Botswana]]
[[Category:Botswana Democratic Party politicians]]
[[Category:Florida State University alumni]]
[[Category:Members of the National Assembly (Botswana)]]
[[Category:Vice-Presidents of Botswana]]
[[Category:Botswana educators]]