Vice President Masisi appointed UB Chancellor

The Vice President, Mr Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi, has been appointed the Chancellor of the University of Botswana for a period of five years with effect from July 5, 2017. The President Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama lan Khama appointed Mr Masisi as per Section 7 of the University of Botswana Act of 2008.

Mr Masisi’s appointment follows the death of Sir Ketumile Masire last month. He becomes the fourth Chancellor of the University of Botswana and the second non-head of state to hold such a position. The first was Sir Ketumile who became Chancellor during his tenure as State President in 1982 until 1998 when he retired from the presidency.

Sir Ketumile passed the baton to former President, Mr Festus Mogae, who retired from that post in 2008. He then made history when he was appointed the third Chancellor and the first non-head of state to hold such position in September 2008.

The appointment of a chancellor who is not a sitting president follows the amendment of the University of Botswana Act in 2008 after a task group was set up in 2004 to review the governance and management structures of the university.

The task group, among others, recommended that the position of chancellor be ‘divorced’ from the presidency of the Republic.

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