UNEMPLOYMENT AND HIV
New Botswana president vows to target youth jobs
As vice-president Mokgweetsi Masisi takes over automatically and is likely to secure a further five-year term in elections in October 2019
Gaborone — Botswana’s new president, Mokgweetsi Masisi, vowed on Sunday to tackle youth unemployment in one of Africa’s most stable countries. The inauguration ceremony in parliament came after Ian Khama stepped down having completed the constitutional maximum of 10 years in office. As vice-president Masisi took over automatically and is likely to secure a further five-year term in elections in October 2019 when the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) is expected to hold on to power. The carefully managed handover of power comes a full 18 months ahead of parliamentary elections in 2019. Masisi takes over a country widely seen as an African success story that has made good use of its lucrative income from diamonds, beef and tourism. It is rated the least corrupt in Africa by Transparency International. But it has also struggled with a rising unemployment rate of about 18% and an HIV epidemic. "It is because of the peace and tranquility that our leaders have sustained for so long t...
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