The University of Botswana is on Thursday 20th and Friday 21st October 2022 will be celebrating its 40th Anniversary and 40th Graduation Ceremony. The President of the Republic of Botswana, Dr Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi will officiate at this event.
Mr David Ntsimele Magang will be one of the Gest speakers on the second day of the celebrations. At this celebration thousands of degrees will be conferred to graduates. In a addition, four (4) honorary degrees will be conferred to four (4) outstanding citizens of Botswana, these are: Justice Ian Stuart Kirby and Judge Sanji Mmasenono Monageng who will be conferred with Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws respectively.
Similarly, Mr Michael Kitso Dingake and Mr David Ntsimele Magang will be conferred with the Honorary Degree of Letters. Honorary degrees (usually, though not always, doctorates) are awarded by universities to recognise outstanding achievement in a particular field, or service to the broader community. In addition, the awarding of an honorary degree is recognition of a person whose life and achievements serve as examples of the University’s aspirations for its students. It is from this background that the four (4) individuals who will be awarded honorary degrees by the University of Botswana have served Botswana well and can serve as a role model to students of the University of Botswana.
It is commendable to note that as the University of Botswana celebrates its 40th Anniversary and 40th Graduation Ceremony, thousands of students have graduated from this institution. Since 1982, the University of Botswana has produced 83 882 graduates. These people are spearheading the economy and the leadership of this country.
The University of Botswana has produced Presidents, Ministers, Members of Parliament, Councillors, Mayors, Judges, lawyers, Magistrates, Professors, economists, teachers, doctors, historians, nurses, social workers, psychologists and many other professionals in the social science, humanities, and science fields who are serving their country with loyalty, dedication, commitment, dignity, and respect very well. In this regard, it is indeed necessary that the university should celebrate its 40th Anniversary and 40th Graduation Ceremony.
As the University of Botswana celebrates its 40 years of existence, we do not want to forget those who laid the foundation of the University. These are the heroes who sacrificed and made donations to the establishment of the University and those who have continued to define the roadmap of the University of Botswana.
It is from this background that the UB 40th Anniversary celebrations are done under the theme “Motho le Motho kgomo” (one man, one beast). This was a unified campaign by Batswana driven by national pride to raise fund for the construction of the University of Botswana in 1976. A Botswana University Campus Appeal (BUCA) was launched in 1976 by President, Sir Seretse Khama, to generate resources to build a university campus under the rallying appeal; Motho le Motho Kgomo (One Man, One Beast).
The people of Botswana responded and contributed cattle, goats, sheep chickens, bags of corn sorghum, millet, and money. The contributions exceeded one million Pula which was the target for the campaign. In this regard, the people of Botswana are all heroes because they contributed to the University of Botswana-an institution which some of us work for are so much proud to be counted in the list of its members of staff. We can only say thank you-Batswana.
