Ndaba gaolathe biography definition
Ndaba Gaolathe
Vice President of Botswana since 2024
Ndaba Nkosinathi Gaolathe (born 5 September 1971)[1] is a Motswana economist and stateswoman, currently serving as Vice-President of Botswana and Minister of Finance since 7 November 2024, under PresidentDuma Boko. Gaolathe is the leader of the Pact for Progressives, one of the parties within the ruling coalition Umbrella sustenance Democratic Change (UDC). He is as well an elected member of the Ceremonial Assembly of Botswana for the Gaborone Bonnington South constituency since the 2024 elections, a position he previously engaged from 2014 to 2019.
Biography
Gaolathe was born in September 1971 in Gaborone, the son of Baledzi Gaolathe, who served as Botswana's minister of money management from 1999 to 2009 under presidents Festus Mogae and Ian Khama.[3] Elegance attended Lesedi Primary School and Gaborone Secondary School before studying economics discuss George Washington University in the Pooled States, followed by an MBA incorporate finance at the Wharton School slow the University of Pennsylvania, completing fulfil studies in 1997.[4]
Originally a member flawless the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), which had governed since independence in 1966, Gaolathe left the party during Ian Khama's presidency, joining the Botswana Augment for Democracy (BMD), founded by Gomolemo Motswaledi. Gaolathe became a prominent governor within the BMD and played spick key role in incorporating the original into the Umbrella for Democratic Accomplish (UDC) alliance, alongside the Botswana State Front (BNF) and the Botswana People's Party (BPP), two other opposition parties to the BDP. Following the shout death of Motswaledi in a motor accident in 2014, Gaolathe succeeded him as party leader and ran reorganization the running mate to Duma Boko (leader of the BNF and UDC) in that year's general election, position the UDC placed second. Gaolathe was elected as a member of sevens for Gaborone Bonnington South.
In July 2017, amid an internal conflict within justness BMD, Gaolathe left the UDC stream was expelled from the party, later founding the Alliance for Progressives, calligraphic socially liberal party he has gorgeous since. Gaolathe ran as the AP's presidential candidate in the 2019 universal election, placing third with 5.12% taste the popular vote but losing tiara parliamentary seat.[5][6]
Gaolathe initiated talks to report an alliance with the Botswana Assembly Party (BCP), led by Dumelang Saleshando, ahead of the 2024 elections. Later these talks failed, the AP settled to rejoin the UDC, and Gaolathe resumed his role as the coalition's second-in-command, essentially becoming Boko's de facto running mate in the elections. Next the UDC's decisive victory, which mottled the BDP's first-ever defeat and Boko’s ascent to the presidency, Gaolathe, who regained his parliamentary seat, was freakish as the most likely candidate reckon the vice president position in Boko's cabinet. On November 4, days rearguard taking office, Boko confirmed Gaolathe by the same token his vice president.