In recent years, there have been records of elected young persons into prominent leadership positions in countries around the world, such as therecent ex-president of the United States, President, Barack Obama who ruled the country at age 42 and Emmanuel Macron, the current president of France, who was elected in May 2017.at the age of 40.
Youthful leadership which is the “in thing” in many political scenes across the globe, is gradually invading the political scene of Africa without putting out the women.
On the Trailblazer category for this week, we celebrate the young fresh flower in the political scene of Botswana who is no other person than Ms. BogoloKenewendo, the newly appointed Minister for Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry.
Gender inequality is evidently being worked on but there is still too much to be done. So we do not hesitate to celebrate unique stories like that of BogoloKenewendo, as a way of pushing for gender equality in the world.
While we celebrate the matriarchs who have gone ahead to confirm the statement that says “what a man can do a woman will do better”, we also commend our young and emerging diamonds who are on the scene, making way for the next generation. So that their stories can serve as a gear to motivate other women,that aresimilarly blazing the trail of leadership.
Bogolo is a woman in her very early 30’s who hails from Motopi, a little village in Botswana. She was raised in Botswana and she had her early education there.
She is an alumnus of the University of Botswana, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, after her Bachelor’s degree, she moved to Brighton, England to obtain an MSc in International Economics from the University of Sussex being a recipient of a prestigious Chevening Scholarship in 2012.
Passionate about her profession, she worked as an economic consultant at Econsult Botswana.
Bologo is a trailblazer, who is passionate about what she envisions, she stands as a driver of development in areas like poverty eradication, reducing inequalities and empowering women and youth. In the course of her career, she lived and worked as a trade economist at the ministry of trade and industry in Ghana.
Bogolo started to steal the world’s attention when she became the youngest member of parliament in Botswana in 2016 being appointed by the former president of the country, Ian Khama.
Her uniqueness makes her eligible for authentic positions and she is always the best candidate for the job, having handled several high-level positions and projects in Botswana. In September 2009 Bogolo was one of two Botswana youth delegates at the 64th Session of the United Nations General Assembly and was nominated to present a statement of African youth to the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
She has been privileged to partake of prestigious programmes including the Foreign and Commonwealth Office International Leaders Programme in 2016, A variation of the US President Obama’s YALI for Young Women Leaders in 2011.
Also in 2011, she was part of the young African women leaders’ forum which was hosted by Michelle Obama.
The forum inspired her to establish MolayaKgosi Trust, a women leadership and mentorship programme which aimed at mentoring and exposing young women to experienced and successful women in this country.
She was also part of the former president Ian Khama’s Private-Public Dialogue structure, the High-Level Consultative Council which is a structure aimed at addressing the challenges of the private sector in Botswana.
And the list is numerous.
Recently, she became the first youngest Minister ever appointed in Botswana’s cabinet, a position that gladdens the heart of many African who look forward to the replication of such development in other African states.
Still blazing the trail, Bogolo continues to shine the light on Youth Leadership, on the African continent.
