The an Afrikanist Watchman

Former Botswana Ambassador to the United States of America, Tebelelo Mazile Seretse has been appointed the Chancellor of the University of Botswana.

The appointment follows the vacancy created by the untimely demise of UB Chancellor, Linah Mohohlo early this year. Mohohlo, a decorated former Governor of the central bank – Bank of Botswana, died of Covid-19.

Seretse, graduated from Morgan State University with a BA in Economics and a BA in Accounting, and also got her MA from the University of Cincinnati and LLB from the University of Botswana.

Her appointment coincides with the release of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings report, which has placed UB as the No. 1 university in Botswana, 21 in Africa, and 1200 in the world out of the 1660 universities that were surveyed.

The position of Chancellor is ceremonial and the candidate must wield considerable influence to attract especially business and goodwill to the university. However, a Chancellor does not draw a salary.

Seretse was a Member of Parliament from 1999 to 2004 and was a member of the Executive arm of government, where she held the portfolios of Acting Minister of Presidential Affairs, Minister of Trade and Industry, Wildlife and Tourism, and Minister of Works, Transport and Communications.

Seretse also has work experience in the private sector having been Director and Chairperson of RPC Data Limited. Certainly, these critical skills will come in handy as she tries to attract private investment to the university, whose latest strategy envisions the institution to become a research-intensive university.

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